Natural Enemies
by Eilike
Summary: A demon-hunting monster has come to London, and Sebastian is in grave danger. As he does his best to hang on,  Ciel must find an angel willing to help this butler... Ciel and Seb., also feat. Ash, Angela, Soma & Agni
1. Nitwits and Spite

Hi, everybody. It's been a long time, and I am really excited to be back with another story. It is my 4th for "Black Butler", and it's going to be a little silly. Not OOC-silly, or so I hope, but...well, maybe 'ludicrous' is the better word, and there's a reason why I chose 'humour' for a category. Ash and Angela will both make their appearances, so if you haven't seen the anime, this story is either confusing or a spoiler.

This said (and you're still with me, obviously intending to give it a try) - thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian, Ciel, Ash, Angela, Soma, Agni and/or any other characters of the series. I hold no rights whatsoever to Kuroshitsuji/"Black Butler", and I do not make money out of this.

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><p>Chapter 1: Nitwits and Spite - and Really Vicious Beasts<p>

Ciel's carriage pulled up in front of his London town house, causing the young earl to take a deep, sighing breath. He didn't want to be here. He hadn't asked for those invitations: the get-together at the Society that was about to start in two hours, or the auction scheduled for this evening. Or this unspeakable event of collective star-gazing the day after tomorrow...

Sebastian opened the carriage door, saying something about their having arrived. The demon, at least, seemed in high spirits.

_Looking forward to fulfilling Her Majesty's order, aren't you,_ thought Ciel. _Well, with some luck and effort on your part, we'll take out that gang of art thieves tomorrow. _He was walking now, walking up the steps to the door. _Which leaves me with the prospect of faking interest in old shards, scientific lectures and astronomical trivialities. _

Sebastian moved ahead to open the door for his master, who marched on, brooding.

_So, day will be turned into night for about seven minutes. Big deal. _

Sebastian stood on the threshold, transfixed, gaping at something inside the hall. It should have put Ciel on the alert. But he walked past, feeling sorry for himself. _People act like they're so shocked by a little out-of-the-ordinary darkness. _My_ days have been one endless night, since -_

He froze.

'Cieeel,' cheered Prince Soma. He stormed forward to catch Ciel in an enthusiastic, brotherly embrace. Ciel recoiled, eyes wide with horror. Behind him Sebastian closed the door with an audible clunking sound. It was a clever, quick-witted move since the prince instantly remembered that he felt uncomfortable in the butler's presence, and stopped short.

His hesitation gave Ciel the first chance to grasp in fullness what he saw: Stunned, he gaped at the Indian prince. Soma was dressed in colourful silk garments embroidered with symbols of fire and flame. His bare arms were covered with intricate red and black henna designs. His eyes were rimmed with coal dust. He wore heavy earrings, that jingled softly, and a golden tiara, adorned with a gem-studded sun, gleamed on his dark hair. He cut a regal, if blindingly colorful figure. Only the cooking pot in his left hand and the ladle in his right corrupted the picture.

Ciel found his voice, 'What on earth are you up to now?'

'There'll be an eclipse of the sun,' Soma explained.

'Yes, thank goodness,' said Ciel, still aghast, looking the prince up and down. 'Looking at you makes my left eye long for darkness to fall and the other grateful for being covered anyway.'

'We need to take precautions,' Soma told him. 'We must scare away the evil spirits.'

'Evil spirits? In my hall?' Ciel's glance darted to Soma's butler Agni. He was relieved to find that the tall Indian looked his normal self.

Agni spoke up in support of his master: 'It's an old ritual. According to the legends of our home country, an eclipse is caused by the demon Rahu, who threatens to devour the sun. But he is thwarted by the gods. The sun is saved, and light is restored to mankind.'

Soma nodded with great dignity. 'And since I am a god and the only prince of India around it is my duty to make sure the affair is passed off quickly, and efficiently, and without much ado.' He put his hands to his hips and looked about like a proud warlord scanning the battlefield for enemy troops. 'Your help is very much appreciated and - '

'I didn't offer my - ,' Ciel began, crossly.

' - and I have decided to accept it,' Soma cut him off. 'Of course, ours is a dangerous mission and we cannot be sure our efforts will avail to anything. Rahu is such a powerful enemy. On the other hand it certainly won't hurt to have Ciel around, will it, Agni?'

'If you say so, Master Soma,' said Agni, bowing reverently.

Soma shoved the battered pot into Ciel's hands. 'Here, take it,' he commanded. 'Find a spoon. Make some noise.'

'Humbug! I'm too busy for such nonsense!' Enraged, Ciel flung the pot to the floor. The clattering noise was loud enough to scare away a whole haunted castle's worth of ghosts. Sebastian stopped the pot with his foot. Briskly, Ciel turned to his butler. 'Sebastian! Get me a fresh coat and then let's go.'

'Yes, mylord.' Sebastian took the pot up on his toes, balanced it there and tossed it to Agni. The Indian butler caught it just as nimbly and bowed to express his thanks.

'_Sebastian!_ Stop playing around!'

'Yes, mylord.'

Soma looked after them as they ascended the stairs to the upper floor and Ciel's dressing room. Agni offered him the battered pot.

'So, it's only the two of us, Agni.' Soma shook his head sadly and clanked the ladle to the bottom of the pot. 'You know, I approved of the clatter when this thing rolled on the floor. That was a good, ear-deafening, demon-scaring noise.'

'It definitely was, Master Soma.'

Soma's eyes lit up with renewed vigor. 'Let's find some cobblestone.'

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><p>In the privacy of his dressing room Ciel stood before a large mirror, watching his butler in the reflection.<p>

'A pot and a ladle!' he muttered, tipping his hat and turning a little to check his appearance in the profile. 'Scaring away an eclipse! Hah!'

Sebastian put the used coat on a hanger and said, 'It is not an unheard-of belief. In the old days, it was a wide-spread belief that an eclipse was the result of some demonic creature eating the sun.'

'Well?,' asked Ciel.

'Well what, young master?'

'You're a demonic creature. Did you? Try to eat the sun, I mean?'

Sebastian plucked a lint off the coat and smiled. 'I never gave it a thought, actually. I was too busy taking advantage of the opportunity.'

'Opportunity?'

Sebastian put the coat into the cupboard and produced a fresh one. 'An eclipse doesn't mean anything. It tends to happen, and it will pass,' he explained. 'But if you manage to spread a real plague on cue, you can drive an entire city or district to despair. It takes a lot of work and preparation to get it right, though.' He held the coat ready for Ciel to slip his arms in, smiling dutifully with his eyes humbly downcast. 'Do you know how many slugs you need to rain down on a countryside, until they crawl knee-deep?'

'Slugs? You mean frogs.'

'Slugs. Frogs are – well, they belong to someone else,' said Sebastian. 'Well, how many?'

'I don't know.' Ciel shivered.

'Nor do I. At some point you simply stop counting and start tip-toeing.'

Ciel looked down on his butler, who was on one knee, closing the buttons of his master's coat. 'I see. Was that also the point where you decided to wear a diving suit and the highest heels available with hooker boots?'

'Actually, they're not really functional wear in such an environment,' Sebastian confessed and straightened up. 'The slugs get speared, so after a few steps you're walking on squishy - '

Ciel grimaced. 'Spare me! What time is it?'

Sebastian's answer was drowned out by the clattering noise on the stairs and Soma's cheerful shouting, 'Did you hear that, Agni? Did you hear that ear-shattering noise?'

' - that okay for you, young master?' concluded Sebastian, smiling dutifully, knowing perfectly well that his master had not understood a word of the suggestions, he now asked him to confirm.

'I'm surrounded by nitwits and spite, and sometimes it's hard to decide which is which,' said Ciel, fuming. 'Let me be clear at least on this: An eclipse is nothing but the moon and the sun standing in line. No mystery, no opportunity, no – slugs. And neither I not you are going to pretend it was anything else.'

Sebastian bowed, his face unreadable. 'Yes, mylord.'

'Now, get the carriage.'

* * *

><p>The carriage took Ciel and his butler to the Museum of the Honorable Society of Ancient History and Art. Actually, it wasn't really a musuem – or had not been for long enough to present a large collection. Like the Society itself, it had been founded only recently by a group of scientifically interested laymen, both noble and rich, and willing to buy their name a place in the history of scientific achievements and discoveries.<p>

Their donations had enabled a certain Professor Shadwick, onetime team-mate of Heinrich Schliemann at the excavation sites of Troy, to start an expedition of his own and take a team of archaeologists into Asia Minor and Greece. And now, some seven months later, he had returned to London, bringing along a dozen crates full of prove that he had not been idle on the expenses of his supporters. It had been decided to put some of the pieces on display. Some went straight to the private vaults of the society's members. And some artefacts would go to public auction for beneficial purposes.

Ciel intended to kill two birds with one stone. He had received royal orders to track down a gang of art thiefs and smugglers, and the upcoming auction provided the bait he needed: Once it became public that the Earl Phantomhive meant to purchase an respectable number of valuable artefacts, the people he was looking for would hopefully show up. They would be easy game for Sebastian. The criminals would go to the Tower and the artefacts to Her Majesty, courtesy of the Earl Phantomhive (who felt that he already owned a lot of old stuff and had no demand for more).

Indeed, Ciel was not happy as he sat in the richly decorated room among the imitations of mural paintings, Greek columns and floor mosaics, with Sebastian on his right side and some fat company owner from Liverpool on his left. As the man kept scribbling notes, his elbow kept poking Ciel's ribs. The items that would go on auction later in the evening were presented to the potential buyers by the auctioner and commented on by Professor Shadwick himself.

The auctioner was a sturdy fellow in his fourties. He had a black moustache and a bald head, and when he praised the artefacts, his belly wobbled in time with his stentorian voice. The professor was a sinewy, small man with a grey goatee and short-sighted eyes that twinkled incessantly. His suit was too wide at the shoulders and too long in the back. He looked like he might be happier with a shovel in his hand – and he seemed particularly ill at ease with the companion Her Majesty had assigned him.

Since Queen Victoria couldn't be present herself, she had sent her butler: Ash stood beside the professor's chair, his hand on the hilt of his sword. His gaze wandered over the small crowd. Seeing Ciel and Sebastian enter, he cracked a small, sardonic smile. But then again, he greeted the entire assembly in the same detached and haughty way.

'Here we have an exceptionally well preserved image of a Troian noble woman,' the auctioner announced. People leaned forward to get a better look and made little sounds of awe and amazement.

'Sebastian,' said Ciel, warding off his left neighbor's poking elbow. His butler immediately stepped forward to check whether the small, red bowl was worth bidding for. He asked to hold it, putting a lot of demonic charm and persuasiveness in the question to make the reluctant professor comply. He raised the bowl and looked closely at the shape. He moved his finger over a small damage of the rim. He traced the outline of the design, smiling enigmatically.

'You are right to observe the intricacy of the depiction, sir,' said the auctioner. 'This noble woman is without doubt one of the most beautifully preserved paintings of ...'

Sebastian talked to the bowl: 'Helen, Helen,' he said quietly. 'Now let's speak about a job well done. Three millennia, and men still have praising words for your profile.'

Ciel froze.

'Helen,' said Professor Shadwick in a lecturing tone of voice, 'is a myth, sir. Homer tells us that her beauty was so devine that - '

'Oh, it wasn't. Not really,' said Sebastian lightly. 'Until the day of her becoming of age, she wasn't even very popular with the boys. It was her older sister who turned their heads.' Sebastian's smile turned wicked. 'On that day, little Helen threw out her army of stylists and maids in a fit of fury. She claimed that she would pay any price to him or her, who could make her outshine the other girls. Especially her older sister. And her fervent wish was received.'

People stared. Ciel was frantically raking his mind for a decent way to interfere. Why had he chosen to sit in the back? He'd have to shout his order over three dozen heads, gentlemen and ladies alike. _Argh, the commotion!_

'But my good man,' said the auctioner, who had begun to perspirate. 'Are you suggesting that Helen struck a deal with a demon, so she could become the cause for a devastating war?'

'Dear me, no. She was only a girl, with lots of frills and songs and romance on her mind,' said Sebastian, shrugging his shoulders. 'A determined mind, though. Of course, there would be payment.'

_Commotion?_ Suddenly it occurred to Ciel that that was what he wanted, wasn't it?_ Making sure London talked about his presence at this auction. About his intention to buy -_

'Enough,' said Ciel, so loud and sharply that he made the audience jump and turn their heads. 'Professor, I am the Earl Phantomhive, and I apologize for this incident! I am interested in these artefacts, and I assure you that my butler's personal opinion - '

'No, no,' said Professor Shadwick. 'It is alright. An intrigueing thought, the history of Troy founded on the quarrel of two sisters over their status in song and legend...'

People whispered.

'Well, ladies and gentleman,' interrupted the auctioner, dabbing his forehead with a hanky. Ash stood at the man's elbow, and the wickedness of his smile matched that of the demon. 'With this interesting theory to consider, maybe the time has come for a short walk in the menagerie. There are some exotic specimen our teams have brought back to London from, I daresay, all known countries – and some of the uncharted, as well.'

'Will this waste of time never stop?' moaned Ciel to himself, as he was swept along with the crowd and out into the estate's gardens.

Here, between flower beds and trimmed hedges, seaming a large, rectangular lake with goldfish in it, were cages that housed the strangest animals and plants. There were exotic birds, reptiles, rodents, and a large hairy spider that sent the ladies into fits of hysteric squeals. There were palm trees and orchids and vines. There was a cage inhabited by two black panthers, and Sebastian secretly slid his hand through the bars to pet the large cats' heads.

It would've worked, had the cat not snarled loudly with the effort of trying to sever the bones.

Looking stoically ahead, Ciel inched closer and murmured, 'Sebastian? Whatever you're doing behind your back, stop it.'

'It's only a love bite,' Sebastian whispered back.

'These are black panthers, for Go- for good order's sake! I'd appreciate if you at least tried to keep up the appearance of being human every now and then without my reminding you to!'

'Yes, master. But - ' Sebastian took Ciel by the shoulders, lifted him up, swung him around and put him down at a safe distance from the cage. 'I'd appreciate if you at least tried to stay out of trouble's reach every now and then without my coming to your rescue.' Ciel looked at the paw of the second beast that was waggling through the bars where he had stood and scolded his butler a moment ago.

_Today's lesson,_ he thought. _Never crab backwards when the next thing in your way is a panther's cage..._

'Come on,' he hissed and started down the gravelled path. The party was on their way back to the main house. But they had stopped their progress and gathered under a large tree.

'Look,' said a gentleman, pointing his finger, and laughed. 'Now, what does this beast think it is?'

Ciel thought that the answer was obvious.

It was a goat.

But it wasn't just some goat, no, by no means. It was a nightmare of a goat, a big, nasty looking beast with shabby yellow fur and mighty horns that looked like fossilized ammonites. It exaggerated every characteristic of its species to the point of becoming a caricature. But the laughter, it evoked, was spiced with horror, because somehow everybody felt that it looked just too funny to be entirely true.

The beast was tied to a fenced patch of lawn which it was obviously supposed to trim but didn't. Instead it stood, returning the visitors' stares, and now it revealed long yellow teeth and let out a bleat.

People giggled, and coughed, and someone suggested, 'Let's move on.'

Following a sudden impulse, Ciel turned around: The beast was staring at Sebastian. And Sebastian was staring back. Ciel could feel the air sizzle.

Ciel had never felt anything sizzle in the air between his butler and some other creature that led to happy endings and shared pieces of chocolate cake.

Sebastian eyes started to change...

Ciel jabbed him with his elbow. 'Hey,' he whispered urgently. 'You're forgetting yourself!'

Sebastian's eyes darted to his master, the red luster gone. 'Sorry, young - '

The goat charged. The rope around its neck didn't restrict it at all, and neither did the low fence.

By the time the first warning call sounded, Sebastian had already shoved Ciel out of the beast's way and leaped straight up into the tree. The goat had changed direction and, dashing back, missed him by inches. Sebastian grabbed hold of a branch and hauled himself up.

People all around were recovering from their shock and stared at the strange scene: The goat stalked the tree like a dog, walking in circles and gazing up. Earl Phantomhive's butler lay on a tree limb, gazing down. His gloved hands clasped the wood lightly, and he had crossed his ankles over the branch for balance. His face was void of emotion, save an attentive, observant look from beneath lowered eyelids.

His master, however, had his hand gun out and trained.

'No,' called the auctioner, moving to block Ciel's aim. 'This goat is rated five shillings. Don't shoot it!'

'Then get it away from my butler!' Ciel's cold voice was drowned by a cracking, splintering noise. His eyes widened to the size of saucers. The word 'impossible' flashed on and off in his mind.

But it was really and truly happening: The goat had rammed its head forcefully against the tree, and the tree limb, although thick and solid, snapped under Sebastian's weight. And for some reason the demon failed to grab another hold and break his fall. He tumbled to the ground, turning in mid-air like a cat and landing on his feet.

The goat attacked instantly. It literally ran Sebastian over, hitting him so hard that he was whirled around and sent stumbling against the tree. He clutched a low branch with one hand and put the other against the bark, steadying himself rather awkwardly.

Ciel fired his gun. He didn't care whether he hit the demon as long as there was a chance of killing the goat. He wasn't afraid for Sebastian, of course. But no-one did this to his butler and go unpunished. No-

'Stop firing!' The auctioner grabbed his hand, forcing his gun down. 'You'll hit the man.'

'You don't understand!' Ciel struggled. 'Let go!'

As he grappled, two men – some courageous gentleman from the party and a gardener – approached the aggressive beast. The gardener grabbed it by the horns, the gentleman caught hold of the torn rope. Together, they hauled it away from its victim. It bleated, still looking at Sebastian. But it was dragged off.

Professor Shadwick and Ash hurried to Sebastian's side, the queen's butler arriving a trifle faster. The demon still clung to the tree as if he wanted to climb it but couldn't muster the strength. The smashed bone of his left leg wouldn't support his weight. There was no time for words, and, in Ash's opinion, no need, either. He grabbed Sebastian's shoulder. Sebastian reached up - 'Don't touch me!' - and gasped, as Ash kicked his heel swiftly and cruelly against the open fracture in the demon's leg. The splintered shinbone shifted back in place. The leg's owner found himself gazing at a lot of twinkling little stars in a quickly spreading black void.

'Ugh!' Sebastian flinched and reinforced his grip on the tree.

'My pleasure, said Ash, making way for the professor. The human was oblivious of the quick action and gave Sebastian a scrutinizing look. 'Easy, lad. Don't faint with pain now. The worst is over.'

Sebastian's eyes clearly told his fellow butler that the human was mistaken: As far as Ash was concerned, the worst was yet to come.

Ash smirked.

Unaware of the silent communication, the professor knelt in the mud to examine the blood-soaked trouser leg. 'Looks like it's broken. But it's a smooth, uncomplicated fracture,' he said. 'Thank goodness.'

'Thank goodness,' echoed Ash, smiling piously and folding his hands.

'Start praying,' said Sebastian between clenched teeth. He stood huddled against the tree, his injured leg slightly raised so as not to touch the ground until it was fully healed.

'Oh no,' said the professor, getting up. 'No, the wound's not _that_ dangerous. But we should clean and bind it.' He looked assessingly at the demon's relieve posture and suggested, 'Maybe we should put some splints on.'

_'Splints?'_ echoed Sebastian.

Ash seemed to be splitting his sides with suppressed laughter. 'Look,' he said. 'Earl Phantomhive is trying to tell you something.'

Sebastian looked his master's way: Ciel was giving him frantic signals to play along. _Keep up the appearance. _

'Lean on me, that's right,' said Ash, grinning and sliding his arm around the demon's waist. 'I'll get you indoors.'

Leaning on the white-clad butler, Sebastian was taken inside.

+++ End of Chapter 1 +++


	2. Auctioneers and Thieves

Hi there. Thanks for being back. With only three reviews for chapter 1, I'm not sure, how many people are actually out there, reading. But whether it's a handful or ten dozens, I'll give my best to make it enjoyable for you. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian, Ciel, Ash, Angela, Soma, Agni and/or any other characters of the series. I hold no rights whatsoever to Kuroshitsuji/"Black Butler", and I do not make money out of this.

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><p>Chapter 2: Auctioneers and Thieves - and Really Exotic Beasts<p>

Fifteen minutes after the incident in the Society's garden, Sebastian was comfortably seated on an armchair. His leg was bandaged and placed on a low footstool. Someone had served him a stiff drink, which he did not touch. Someone else had positioned his armchair in front of a large birdcage, presumably to give him something to look at. A flock of small, black and golden birds was eagerly fluttering and running about. Sebastian watched without really seeing them. _Ash had left, and he sure knew why._ The demon didn't mind. There were too many things occupying him. One of them was the question how long it was appropriate for him to pretend in order to make his performance look realistic.

Ciel had not been admitted while his butler was being treated for a broken leg. But now he approached, tapping his cane in time with his swift, long strides. He gestured Sebastian to stay seated.

'Please,' he said aloud and with emphasis. _'Your leg is injured_,'and then, softly, 'You gave me quite a start. When I ordered you to keep up the appearance I was thinking of the black panthers. I didn't mean you should go and get yourself killed by the next shabby goat available.' He looked at the bandaged leg. 'How bad is it, really?'

'It looked worse under that tree,' said Sebastian. 'Professor Shadwick says there was more blood shed than actual damage done. Now, it seems no worse than a laceration and a sprained ankle.'

'That's bad enough.'

'No problem, young master.' Sebastian clutched the armrests and prepared to push himself up. His master's killing glance stopped him.

'Stay seated,' repeated Ciel. 'No question you can walk. I know you do. But the other's don't, and miracles are rare these days. We started this farce, so we'll have to see it through. Sebastian, I see no other reasonable course of action: I have sent for Agni.'

Sebastian's eyes widened for just one fraction of a second. 'Agni, young master? Do you mean - ?'

'Yes, my knight, I do. I'm taking off the board for now.'

'But, young master – ,' Sebastian began, but Ciel went on impatiently, 'You will tell Agni exactly what to bid for at tonight's auction. He will attend the auction and buy whatever you think fit as a ... present for Her Majesty.' Ciel hesitated, then added, 'Look, Sebastian. It's either that or you can go out there and face all these people _on crutches_.'

'The very prospect is embarrassing!'

'It's what a human would do,' said Ciel, shrugging his shoulders. 'We all saw you hanging on to that tree. People will wonder, why this leg of yours is not encased _in plaster_!'

Defeated, Sebastian sank back in his chair. He looked extremely unsatisfied with the prospect of another butler filling in for him, even if this other butler was Agni. In the silence the caged birds could be heard all the louder.

Ciel looked at the hustle and bustle and remarked, 'They're pretty. What are they called?'

'Golden plovers, young master,' said Sebastian and added, 'They are an ancient species.'

Ciel continued to watch the agile birds. 'Oh, by the way, guess what they keep on the artificial lake outside? Slug-eating ducks.'

'Really?' Sebastian's eyes narrowed. 'I never heard of slug-eating birds in England. Or Europe, for that matter.'

'Probably not in the middle ages, it's true,' said Ciel. 'They're imports from India and China. The first pair was brought to England almost forty years ago.'

There was the faintest glimmer of red in Sebastian's eyes.

Relishing the situation, Ciel struggled to keep a straight face, 'Maybe I should purchase a pair? Finny would be beside himself with delight, don't you think?'

'In-dubitably, young master.'

Ciel smiled faintly, then decided that he had vexed his demon enough. He tipped his hat, bidding the demon good-bye, but the words hardly registered. Sebastian watched with glinting eyes as Ciel walked to the door and left. His mood could not have blackened any further, if his young master had skipped and whistled all the way.

* * *

><p>The auction was scheduled to begin after dinner, and Agni was already seated, when the gentlefolks started to file in. He had been carefully instructed by Sebastian and received a handwritten list of items along with his bidding card.<p>

He had spent more time afterwards, trying to explain to his master what they were supposed to do, how they would do it, and to what ends.

Soma was still wearing his dramatic end-of-the-world outfit and dragging his pot around. He was surprised to hear that tonight's auction had to do with ancient artefacts and archealogy, and was in no way related to Ciel's preparing for the upcoming desaster.

At one point, Agni came dangerously close to almost thinking that maybe he should have asked Ciel (politely) to ask Soma (even more politely) to stay home. But then he remembered that Ciel had _shouted_ rather rudely at Soma to stay home, and the prince had chosen to come nevertheless.

'Five pounds,' the auctioneer called and dabbed his forehead with his handkerchief. 'Five pounds and ten shillings, anyone, gentlemen? Five pounds and - '

Agni raised his bidding card. 'Six pounds,' he called.

'Six pounds,' echoed Soma beside him, incredulous. 'Excuse me, if I'm mistaken, but – we're talking gold coins here!'

'Yes, master. And Mr. Sebastian has underlined this particular bowl on my list,' said Agni, his index finger on the line in question. 'It's worth ten pounds, he said.'

'Eight pounds,' shouted the auctioneer. 'Going once, eight pounds - '

Agni swiftly raised his bidding card: 'Nine pounds!'

'I don't get it,' moaned Soma, burying his head in his hands. 'This is absolutely no good. It's an ancient heap of clay, and broken on top of all! It's not magic, it's not divine, it's not even a weapon. It won't help us at all when Rahu makes his attempt on the sun. I would not give a mongoose for it, even if it was less ugly and worthless and ... and old.'

The gentleman beside him turned. 'Excuse me, sir, what did you say? About your offer for this piece of art?'

'I said it's no good and - '

'No, no. The thing about the... animal?'

'It's not worth a mongoose,' said Soma, sullenly.

'But, of course, you don't have a mongoose to trade?'

'I have all the mongooses in the world,' said Soma off-handedly. 'I am a Prince of Bengaly. How many mongooses do you want? Five? Ten? One hundred?'

More gentlefolk grew attentive. Bidding cards were lowered, as heads turned toward Soma.

'What did he say?'someone whispered.

'He said, he had mongooses.'

'_We_ don't have mongooses! We have black panthers, and slug-eating ducks, but we've got no - '

'What's a mon- '

'Ooh, the scientific value - '

'The fees for importing those little fleabags!'

'Sold for one hundred mongooses!' called the auctioneer and banged his hammer on the desk. He handed the bowl to his assistant, who labelled it.

Soma stared.

'Congratulations, Master Soma,' said Agni. 'You have made the first purchase for Master Ciel.'

'I bought this thing for one hundred mongooses?' asked Soma, even more incredulous.

'We can well use mongooses for our menagerie,' said the gentleman on his right. Everyone was smiling. 'Prince of Bengaly, do you, by chance, happen to have more exotic animals to offer? For charitable purposes?'

'I have lots of animals...' Soma looked at Agni. There was a short moment of insecurity, but it passed before anyone could notice. Soma was a prince, and proud of his home country and its riches, after all. 'Macaques?' he asked, surrounding himself with an air of royalty. 'Would you like some? You can have them. For about...this - and this - and that, too.' He snatched from Agni the list of artefacts and drew a bold circle around the top quarter of the page.

'That's quite a lot,' remarked one of the gentlemen.

'There's a lot of exotic animals to be gained from where I come from', said Soma, warming to his subject. 'How about some muntjacs? Water buffalos? Dholes? Oh, I know – surely, you would not refuse a couple of clouded leopards?' He paused, straigthening up to full height. 'An _elephant_? A Bengal tiger, king of predators?'

There was a little mumbling in the back. Then, the gentleman next to Soma spoke up, 'We ... have been looking far and wide for an Indian rhinoceros.'

Soma grinned. He scribbled, then raised the list high up in the air: All items were enclosed in one large bold circle. 'Deal,'he said.

The auctioneer banged his hammer. 'Going once, and twice, and three times – sold! The entire stock. Sold to the Prince of Bengaly.'

There were a few dark and disappointed faces. But most of the attendants cheered. People shoved Soma forward: There were documents to be signed.

'Oh not. It's not for me,' said Soma modestly, as he reached the auctioneer's desk. 'It's for Ciel.'

'The Earl Phantomhive?'

'Of course,' said Soma, scrawling his name in extensive loops all over the pages the assistant presented him. 'He's the business man. I only guard his house while he's away. How would I ship a wild rhino?'

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes later, Agni was busy loading the purchased items onto the carriage. It was parked at the tradesmen's entrance on the back side of the Society's building. The wall that surrounded the premises was less white here, and the street was not as wide as in the front. But it was comfortably lit with gas lanterns, and paved, and that was more than could be said of most London back alleys.<p>

While Agni carried the boxes and crates, Soma went to get Ciel. He had found the Earl in one of the libraries, reading The Times and waiting.

Now, they were on their way to the carriage. Ciel hardly dared believe his ears.

'A rhino? Are you crazy? You staked a real, living, wild rhinoceros?'

'Yes,' said Soma, spotting Agni and walking faster.

'And monkeys?'

'Macaques. Yes.' Soma watched Agni put a crate on a carriage. More crates were already stowed away safely. 'And water buffalos, and muntjacs, an elephant and a few more specimens. - I learned that word from them. _Specimen.'_

Ciel studied the documents Soma had handed him. 'Where are you going to get a cloud leopard?'

'I'll send word to my father's palace. They'll take care of it.'

'Alright, maybe they will. But it says here that I am responsible for shipping these monsters!' Exasperated, Ciel waved the purchase documents that Soma had so magnanimously signed.

They were taken out of his hand by someone behind him.

'I'll take care of it,' said Sebastian, and bowed. 'Your permission assumed, master.'

'Granted,' said Ciel, noticing with relish that Soma was hurrying for the reassuring presence of his own butler. 'How's your foot?'

'Unsprained,'said Sebastian flatly and looked past Ciel. 'Do you want me to assist Mr. Agni with these crates?' He blinked. '_Oh dear!_ Are you sure it's washable?'

'No, of course I'm not,' said Ciel curtly. 'It slipped my mind to mention the possibility of a demon house maid when they devised - '

Outside, a dark figure hurried past, shoving Soma and climbing on the coachman's seat.

'Hey!' screamed Soma. 'Who do you think – ouch!'

'Master Soma!' Agni dropped the box he was handling, and rushed to his master's aid.

The figure on the carriage laid the whip to the horses. The carriage started forward.

'Ciel,' screamed Soma. 'Do something!'

Without haste, Ciel and Sebastian strolled closer.

'Everything's going according to plan,' said Ciel. 'Only faster than I'd expected. Agni?'

The Indian butler approached. He rummaged in some hidden pockets and produced a small bag. 'I did like you asked me to,' he said.

'I know. Thanks.' Ciel accepted the bag.

'What's that?' asked Soma.

'The latest invention in Scotland Yard forensics. I asked Agni to spread it on the items and the crates before sealing them.' Ciel opened the bag and poured some of its contents on his palm. It was a dark gray substance that looked like graphite dust. Soma and Agni looked at it indifferently. Sebastian smiled smugly.

'I still don't see the use of this stuff,' said Soma.

'Of course not,' said Ciel. 'You would need this to shed some light on the matter.'

He produced a small torchlight and shone it on the powder. His hand glowed dazzlingly blue. Ciel moved the torchlight: Agni was ablaze with blue fire that focussed on his hands, but was also on his clothes, his face and even in his hair.

_No wonder, Sebastian flinched when he saw this,_ thought Ciel.

Aloud he said, 'It's a special powder to mark objects. The colour is only visible in this special, ultraviolet light.' He cast his butler a sidelong glance. 'This way, we will be able to identify the stolen property. The only thing left to do is follow the carriage to the thieves' hideout.'

Sebastian started to comment, when things suddenly happened very fast.

It was Soma, who saw the grey shape first from out of the corner of his eye. When he screamed out, Sebastian had already realized the danger and leaped straight up into the air.

Stunned, Ciel watched a four-legged figure charge and his butler save himself to the height of a street lamp. The glass covering shielding the gas-fueled flame was searingly hot, but the demon clasped it nevertheless, seeking purchase. By now, Ciel recognized the ragged fur, the ammonite-shaped horns and the angry bleat of the attacking beast. _How had that goat escaped from the Society's premises?_

The beast tackled the street lamp head-on. The lamp post shook, the demon hung on, and suddenly, all gas lights in the street went out.

There was a nasty, ear-splitting screech of metal being strained and twisted. There was the sound of shuffling feet, the clicking of hooves on cobblestone, and a muffled cry - _'Hey!'_ - that seemed to be Soma's voice.

And then, there was a noise as if a whole ironmonger's store were tumbling from the sky and clattering on the pavement. It lasted for some seconds, which Ciel endured with his hands pressed on his ears.

The lights flickered back on.

There stood Sebastian, clutching the mangled lamp post, looking wild and tense. He did not pant, but it was easy to imagine that he did. It was what any human in such a figthing stance and with such a reckless light in his eyes would have done.

'Sebastian?' asked Ciel, almost timidly. He had seen that look on Sebastian's face only once before: Right after Madame Red had threatened Ciel's life with her dagger. Sebastian had dashed to the rescue, getting his arm caught in Grell Sutcliff's death scythe in the process. And when it was over, there had been one or two moments, when the demon had actually needed to pull himself together, clutching at his wounded shoulder and catching his breath.

He caught his breath now and reasserted control.

'Young master.' Sebastian dropped the lamp post and grabbed Soma, who was scrambling for his rolling pot, by the scruff of his neck. 'I suggest that we leave for home immediately. The streets are not safe at this hour of the night.'

'They will be any second now,' said Ciel, referring to the shouts for silence and for the night guards that could be heard from around the corner. 'The carriage is gone. The bait has been taken. Let's go.'

'Don't you want me to follow the carriage?'

'No,' said Ciel. 'Let's go! Together!'

Sebastian took the lead, walking as fast as possible without making his young master puff. He had dug his hands in his pockets, and his eyes kept darting in the direction of the tiniest sounds from houses and dark back alleys. His jumpiness was contagious, and soon, Agni walked in the back, watching out for an enemy he did not even know. Walking with Soma, Ciel saw that the prince was examining strange new dents in his pot as they were hurried on.

'Did you do that?' asked Ciel.

'No,' said Soma. 'That was - ' He nodded his head at Sebastian's back, not wanting to say the name aloud. 'He took the pot from me in the dark. If you ask me, he put it over the beast's head and banged on it with the lamp post.' Soma looked at Ciel. 'What was that thing?'

'Nothing,' said Ciel quickly. 'A street dog.'

Soma looked doubtful. 'A street dog? It had horns!'

'How would you know? It was dark, wasn't it? No light. Get out of my way!'

_It was a dog,_ Ciel told himself, as he pushed past Soma and Sebastian to lead the way as befit the Earl of Phantomhive. _A dog attacked Sebastian._

_Trying to give him a love bite._

* * *

><p>When they returned to the town house, Ciel did not immediately retire. He informed his butler that he would get some work done, since tomorrow was going to be a busy day.<p>

'I can see that you have work to do. But isn't it a little late for drinking tea?' asked Sebastian, bringing the tray into his master's study. 'Wouldn't you rather I made you some hot milk and - '

'I'm not a child in need of a night cap,' said Ciel, instantly regretting the harshness.

Sebastian started to pour the tea. Ciel watched the demon. The demon knew he was being watched and kept his eyes on the tea pot.

Ciel steepled his hands, leaning slightly forward. 'On the way back here, Soma claimed that it was a goat attacking you in the street,' he began. 'He suggested that it might have been the same goat that hurt you earlier today.'

'But that was in the Society's garden,' Sebastian pointed out, stirring the tea.

'Which makes the notion all the more peculiar, doesn't it?' Ciel accepted his cup.

'I would like to object, young master. It's not _peculiar_. Or rather, peculiar is not the right word for what's happening.'

'So there _is_ something happening,' Ciel said, satisfied. 'Good. Now, will you please fill me in on what _it_ is?'

'Young master, it is beneath your rank and dignity to trouble yourself with a servant's concerns.'

Ciel set his cup down with a clinking sound and tackled the demon head on: 'Sebastian, what is that goat? It may be beneath my rank to trouble myself with a servant's problems. But I'm certainly not above listening to them if they choose to entrust themselves to me. So I won't order you to answer. But I would really appreciate if you confided in me now.'

Sebastian actually looked staggered. 'Confide, young master? In you? A hum- ?'

'For crying out loud, Sebastian, human, demon, I don't care! Where does it come from? What does it want?'

'It comes from the Pit of Hell,' Sebastian said reluctantly.

'As do you,' Ciel reminded him, relaxing a bit, now that the talking had begun. 'Or have I just missed a capital letter here?'

'My world has a lot of places that, in human understanding, would pass for first rate pits,' Sebastian explained. 'But below those places, there's The Pit. And at its bottom, that's where the Pan-goats -'

'The - what?'

'You may have missed another capital letter, young master,' Sebastian said flatly. 'Their species is named after the Greek god.'

'Okay.' Ciel took a sip of tea, turning the information over in his mind. 'So they live in The Pit. Doing what?'

'Waiting for a passing demon to hunt down and devour.'

Ciel ran his finger over the smooth porcellain side of the cup. 'Professor Shadwick told me, he found the beast at some excavation site below some old temple. It was stuck in a hole and alerted his team of scientists with its bleating. In the process of getting it up they discovered a larger cavern and eventually a hidden system of tunnels, leading to hereto unknown ruins. They agreed that they owed this discovery to the goat and decided to "reward" it by taking it to England.'

'Stuck in a hole,' echoed Sebastian gravely. 'A system of tunnels, hereto unknown. Do you see the connection?'

'Get real, Sebastian,' said Ciel, uncertain. 'It would have to be a very old goat, if - ' He broke off, remembering the irrelevance of time to something not-of-this-world.

There was a short, meaningful silence.

'How can one hunt down a demon?' asked Ciel.

'Bit by bit,' said Sebastian. 'Wound by wound. Once it has picked up the scent of its prey, the Pan-goat will not be distracted.' He looked past Ciel as if remembering things of times gone by. 'It may take days. Or weeks. Time isn't really of import. It's there, watching, observing, waiting for an opportunity to charge and weaken the victim a little more.' He stared at the mahogany table as if spelled by something engraved in the polished surface. _Faces,_ Ciel suddenly realized. _The demon was seeing faces of people he had once known. Remembering their names. People, who had perished..._

'Sebastian...?' asked Ciel quietly.

Sebastian snapped back to the present immediately. 'My only comfort is that the Pan-goat is a very specialized hunter,' he said. 'There have never been reports of human casualties.'

'But there must be something we can do!' As Ciel made his angry claim, he realized that he was talking about a relation of hunter-and-hunted that had gone on for millennia. If the demons were not able to help themselves, what was there a thirteen-year-old human boy could possibly do?

And then, his butler said something very strange: 'If you want to help me, young master, send me an angel.'

'An angel?' Ciel was flabbergasted. 'Where would I find an angel?'

'Right.' Sebastian heaved a sigh. 'Where would you find an angel willing to help a demon?'

He looked about, seeing the tea pot and silently deciding that Ciel should have no more black tea, containing theine, tonight. He reached out, picking up a tea pot and sugar box.

'What are you going to do?' asked Ciel.

Sebastian's hands did not shake. His polite litte smile was back on. Keeping up the appearance of unconcern. 'Why, young master, the Pan goat and I, we're natural enemies. What would you expect me to do?'

'Stay alive,' said Ciel. 'I mean, heavens, Sebastian, I've seen you fight death gods and get your head stuck in a tiger's mouth. You can take on a ragged goat, can't you?'

Smiling sadly, his butler turned and carried the tray toward the door. Ciel watched the graceful, erect shape reach the door with smooth steps. Too perfect to be true, this creature that had chosen to wear a butler's attire, too enticing to be of this world.

But not too beautiful, this demonic creature, to be always and entirely able to hide its thorns.

Feeling his stare, Sebastian stopped in the door. He did not turn around, but he appeared to listen.

'Tell me,' whispered Ciel. 'Tell me you can.'

Sebastian left.

He never lied. But Ciel had long ago come to realize that sometimes, a reassuring lie would have been so much easier to bear than not being answered at all.

+++ End of Chapter 2 +++


	3. Basements and Mast Tops

First of all, thanks to my reviewers and those of you who put this on favorite story/story alert. I know I have a way of just keeping on updating, so it might seem like I don't care about getting feedback. That's definitely not true. I appreciate your reviews, and I enjoy reading them. At times, they even influence the way a story evolves, helping me to decide whether to omit a certain scene or write a particular dialogue to get things more straight.

As to this story, I think we all agree ;-) This has gone far enough. Let's see, if we can mobilize an angel ;-)

(Please keep in mind that, in the anime, Ciel learns rather late about Ash's nature. When he does, things are already spiraling down towards their furious finale. So I decided that he does not yet know in this story, putting it in the time line somewhere between Angela trying to purefy Ciel's soul and the events on top of the Eiffel tower.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian, Ciel, Ash, Angela, Soma, Agni and/or any other characters of the series. I hold no rights whatsoever to Kuroshitsuji/"Black Butler", and I do not make money out of this.

* * *

><p>Chapter 3: Basements and Mast Tops - and Really Crazy Beasts<p>

Ciel took his breakfast at half past seven and proceeded to make some phone calls. The first ones led to no results, but the third one went to Lau. And, like so often, the Chinese 'merchant' knew to relate just the right piece of information at the right time.

Ciel hung up the phone and leaned back, quickly sorting out his thoughts and determining his next steps. Suddenly, he heard a noise. It seemed to be coming from the kitchen. Ciel's hand hovered over the bell pull, then he decided to go and see for himself.

He stopped in the door, staring at the unexpected sight.

The kitchen was a mess. One of the shelves had toppled over, and there was broken crockery, porcellain, and lots of water on the floor. A chair had gone to pieces and a small table lay on its side. The back door, leading to the small herb garden, was moving slightly on its hinges. The lock was broken and partly ripped out of the splintered wood.

Sebastian was seated on a chair in the middle of the confusion, holding a cloth to his head. Agni stood behind him, fastening the compress with the bandage of his left hand. The Indian butler's head was bare and his hair dripping wet. From the table opposite Sebastian's chair a pair of fat ducks gazed at Sebastian, then waddled a few lazy steps, settled down and continued to stare.

Judging by the expression on the demon's stony face, he wagered that his life had recently plummeted to an all-time low.

'What the heck has happened here?' asked Ciel.

It was Agni, who answered him: 'Upon my coming to the kitchen this morning, Mr. Sebastian detected some residues of the forensic glow powder in my hair and on my clothes. He was so kind as to offer his assistance in washing it off. While I leaned over the basin ... something ... entered the kitchen and attacked.'

'You can name it: It was a goat,' said Ciel. 'Sebastian? Are you hurt?'

'I am being pitifully looked at by a couple of ducks,' said Sebastian in a gloomy tone of voice.

'Mr. Sebastian scaled one of the shelves,' said Agni. 'The goat rammed it. Most of the crockery was thrown off. A plate hit Mr. Sebastian on the head. Flinching, he toppled over the entire shelf. Fortunately, I managed to dump the basin's contents over the beast's head before it attacked him again. It let off and ran down the door. I let it escape, figuring that I'd rather help Mr. Sebastian. After all, the garden doesn't have a back door. But the beast's gone. I really don't know, how it could've left the premises, but - '

'Don't trouble yourself, Agni,' said Ciel. 'I understand.'

'Ducks,' repeated Sebastian, sullenly. 'Looking at me.'

'Slug-eating ducks, that's right,' said Ciel, just a little irritated by his butler's moping attitude. 'I told you they had some at the Society's menagerie. At that time it seemed like a good idea to buy a couple.'

'They must've strolled in when I was tending to the cut in Mr. Sebastian's head,' said Agni. 'Thank goodness, the bleeding has stopped.'

'Pan-goats and slug-eating ducks. I will notify Finny,' muttered Sebastian. 'This garden needs to be decontaminated, if I am to set my foot in it again.'

'You won't have to. Well, not right now,' said Ciel. 'It seems that our carriage has been noted. Of course, Lau swears he's got nothing to do with it. But it seems that one of his places was used as an interim storage facility. Let's go and have a look.' Ciel prepared to leave, then he turned around again. 'I _saw_ that!' he said over the noise of the agitatedly waddling birds. 'You just tried to get up and accidentially lean on that poor duck!'

* * *

><p>Morning found Ciel in an abandoned opium den in the East End. Neither the Phantomhive carriage nor the horse were there, but Sebastian was still able to discern the familiar smell hanging in the air. Of course, no-one in the vicinity wanted to have noticed something out of the ordinary.<p>

Only an old crone asked Sebastian whether he wasn't a little late for the burial? The procession, she said, had already left. On questioning her, they learned that she was referring to a funeral service due to take place in a near-by church. She had mistaken Sebastian for one of the casket-bearers.

They entered the den and went down the long, winding stairs. The candle stumps in the holders along the walls sprang up mysteriously one by one as Ciel passed by. In their light, he found the entrance to the main room. The brick stone walls still gave off the faint odour of the drugs that had once been consumed here. The floor was moist. Black mildew grew on the ceiling and in the dark corners like cobwebs. Sebastian immediately claimed that the whole place was glaring with blue iridescence. Ciel switched on his torch light and, lighting it this way and that, found a lot of the forensic powder on the floor.

'The artefacts were stacked here,' he said. 'They've been transported on early in the morning. Oh, look.' He stooped and picked up a wet piece of paper. 'That's from a hymn book. It's not the freshest of scents, but it indicates that the next place to look for is a church.'

'We know there's one just around the corner,' said Sebastian.

'The funeral service,' said Ciel. 'That makes sense. If the church was in use by the parish, the theft could not be stored there.'

Looking at his butler, he found Sebastian marvelling at the floor. 'What is it?'

'The floor,' said Sebastian, almost raptly. 'It's aglow.'

Ciel stared at the dark surface stretching away into the shadows of the far corners. He could shine his torch light this way and that, revealing the blue glow one circle of light at a time. Now, he tried to imagine what the soiled floor must look like as a whole. 'I would love to look at the world through your eyes, just for once,' he said.

'You would not be happy, if you did,' said Sebastian, sounding rather sobered. 'Not right now, I mean...'

'What? Why?'

'I am sorry, young master!' Sebastian lifted Ciel up and bolted. Over the demon's shoulder Ciel looked into the dark – and now, he saw it, too: A four-legged shape came after them, emerging from the shadows where it had been hiding. The demon's eyesight was truly remarkable.

His speed, as he raced up the stairs, was even more amazing.

Crashing through the door, staggering out into the daylight, Sebastian did not slow down until he heard his master's voice in his ear, 'We lost it. Sebastian, you hear me? It's gone.' And then, finally, the command, 'Sebastian, stop! This is the church we're looking for. Stop!'

* * *

><p>Midday was spent searching the bell tower of the small church near the docks. From up here, one could see part of the wharfs and masts, a boy's dream come true. Ciel did not even deign to look at the sight, as moved his torch light over the floor. The church's elderly chantor was not amused by them nosing around. He stood in the doorway, protesting and threatening to call the police. His threat being ignored, he left, shouting all the way down the stairs.<p>

Ciel and Sebastian kept looking around, but while they found traces of illegal trading in abundance, there was no hint of blue glow powder.

Ciel concluded that their bait had been transferred from the opium den directly to its next destination, 'probably a ship'. He said it over the sound of heavy footsteps coming up the stairs. Three seconds later, they faced the chantor's assistants – five mean-looking, armed men, with the word 'convict' virtually written across their foreheads.

Knowing that Sebastian was standing not two strides behind him, Ciel met them cool as a cucumber.

'So, who wants to know about the Camellia Lady's pretty gems?' the first bully asked.

'Who is this lady, and where - ,' began Ciel, when he felt a sudden, sweeping movement behind him and saw the men's eyes widen to the size of their calloused palms.

He turned and found that his butler had been swept off his feet sideways by an attacker who had obviously come out of thin air. He was just in time to see Sebastian being hurled out of the window, entwined in a tight embrace with his opponent's shabby fur and mighty horns.

They all rushed to the window and peered down. But there was no sight of the either the butler or his attacker, only the usual hustle of East End people going about their daily business.

'It was a goat. Blimey, it was a goat, that's what it was,' whispered one of the convicts.

'_That_,' said Ciel, crowded by sweaty, hulking bodies, who now remembered his presence, 'was really bad timing, Sebastian.'

* * *

><p>By the time he should enjoy lunch, Ciel was tied to a chair in the chantor's quarters. The man had not been too pious to resist temptation, when he was offered to rent off his church tower to serve as a storage facility for dubious trade transactions. But he was honest enough to beg for Ciel's life when the hired cut-throats discussed their next steps.<p>

As if summoned by the poor man's solicitations, Sebastian made his entrance in an impressive way.

He used the door, but that was pretty much the end of his effort and the beginning of the humans' distress. The horror, his appearance gave them, was not so much due to the flaring red eyes, or the disheveled hair, or the amount of dust and blood on his face. Along with the slightly limping gait that came from dragging behind his left foot, all of that made him look like he'd risen straight from the pit (uncapitalised P, thought Ciel, a little crazily) of hell.

But the true terror lay in the realisation that all of it - the eyes, the blood, the gait - was nothing but a masterful attempt at appearing human. And that this creature, who would usually go through a lot of proverbial pains to keep up the camouflage, was currently in enough real pain to not give a damn about his onlookers' sentiments.

Or lives.

* * *

><p>'As soon as you feel you've regained sufficient emotional control to stop taking it out on these poor devils,' said Ciel, 'get me off this chair. I overheard them talking. Our next destination is the docks.'<p>

* * *

><p>Afternoon spread a beautiful light on the River Thames, forcing Ciel to squint as he flipped through the documents of the clipper "Carmellia Lady". He was surrounded by two men and a commissioner of the harbour police. Six officials were taking care of the sailors, the dock workers and the general buzz. The ship had been in the process of being loaded when Ciel and his support came aboard and took over. The workers onboard were stopped, and those coming up the gangway did not realize immediately that there was a problem. Now, there were boxes, barrels, and bags everywhere. Men lingered, their hands in their pockets, defiant and anxious. A bag toppled over, spilling flour. Caged fowls cackled, a herd of pigs swarmed over the deck, oinking, and goats bleated.<p>

All except one.

This one, a big, shabby billy, kept ramming its head against the mainmast, with three men trying in vain to stop it.

'One could've guessed the Viscount Druitt's involvement,' Ciel said to the police commissioner beside him. 'I didn't know he owned ships. But this one's name is just his style.'

'He bought it from the legacy of the late Mr. West,' said the commissioner. 'Even the crew got their contracts extended.'

'And their mission,' said Ciel. 'To provide new treasures for their master. Present to him, what might take his fancy – smuggle the rest out of the country and make money, so he can buy things more to his liking. Who can tell how many valuable artefacts disappeared through West's dark channels over the years? He went about his business with cleverness and in stealth. But when the viscount learned about the well-performing criminal network he'd acquired along with West's possessions, he seized the opportunity with his usual extravaganza and all-or-nothing impetus.'

'Speaking of impetus...' The commissioner pointed his thumb over his shoulder. 'Aren't you afraid your butler might get hurt?'

'Why should I?' Earl Phantomhive tilted his head to look up the mainmast, into the rigging. 'I'd almost given up hope. But this time, he seems able to sit it out.' He stopped and gasped.

Beside him, the commissioner said, 'Who, the heck, is that?'

* * *

><p>Thirty meters above, Sebastian sat on a crosstree, holding on to the mainmast and wondering what to do next. When the Pan-goat attacked, chasing him up the mast, the humans tried to be helpful, shouting good advice ('Don't panic!' and 'Hold fast!' and 'Beware! Don't fall down, sir!'). They tried to throw loops around the raging Pan-goat's neck.<p>

But this beast was extraordinarily hungry and determined, and by now the mortals more or less stood by, shouting more excellent advice ('Find something to hold it!') to each other.

Sighing, Sebastian fastened his grip, when a shadow fell on him. He looked up and found that he had gotten company. He was joined by a silver-haired, purple eyed, wasp-waisted woman in a white-and-blue sailor's outfit, who regarded him with a sardonic smile.

'Angela,' said Sebastian. 'What are you doing up here?'

'An interesting question, considering that you are the earthbound creature of us both.' The angel was standing on the ratlines and moved closer, carefully minding her step. 'I came to take care of Her Majesty's possessions. The artefacts your master acquired and planned on giving to the queen, once they had served their purpose.' Angela reached a position opposite the demon and continued to stand on the ropes of the _Camellia Lady's_ rigging. She wore a sailor hat, and the breeze was playing with the pretty blue ribbon and the silver locks that looked out from under the cap.

'You followed us?' asked Sebastian.

'No. I meant to be here on time, after all. And you kept being held up.' Angela looked down to where the Pan-goat was working on the bottom of the mast. She shook her head. 'It's sort of ridiculous, is it not? I mean, here it is, your deadly foe, looking like Billy the Blue Blast from the Past - '

_'Hhm-hmm_,' said Sebastian, leaning forward to gaze down.

'What did you do? Douse it in blue paint?'

'No, I didn't. A human, who'd soiled himself head to toe with this new forensic powder, dumped his wash basin on its head.'

Angela regarded the monster, whose shabby fur was glowing in all shades of blue to the eyes of those, who were gifted to see – that is, capable of ultraviolet vision. 'Amazing. Didn't he know there was nothing he could do? That all you can hope for right now is an angel prepared to spread his wings around you?''

'No, he didn't know.'

Angela reached out and put the tip of her left index finger under Sebastian's chin. 'But you know,' she said, sounding like a purring cat, as she directed his head up to look her in the face.

'I am aware of the problem, yes.' Sebastian met her eyes dispassionately.

As if on cue the mast shook beneath them, forcing Sebastian to hold fast.

Angela laughed softly. 'You're a proud one, demon. You would not ask me for help. Even though you know I'm your only chance of survival.'

Sebastian did not reply. Realizing that the mast wouldn't resist the Pan-goat's assaults for much longer, he began to look for a means of escape.

'A pity. If only you could overcome your inhibitions...,' Angela continued.

'Then what?' Sebastian asked, sounding cool and even defiant. But the angel could tell that a glimmer of hope had quickened his pulse for the briefest moment. She smiled. She would make his heart throb, not only for a second, but for passionate minutes on end.

'Take the boy,' she said, her voice hard like flintstone on metal. 'Take his soul, right here and now. His impure, angry soul, which he would not allow me to purefy. Let me watch as you drag him all the way into darkness, and I will save you from becoming a victim of death yourself. This is my offer, Sebastian. What do you say?'

'I cannot agree to that.' Sebastian stood on the crosstree, testing the ropes for stability.

Cold fury replaced the madness in Angela's purple eyes. 'Why not? You'll do it anyway. We both know, you will. Some day, _you will take his soul._'

'Some day, I will,' Sebastian confirmed. 'And I will savour every moment of it. But as for now, I am his butler. My young master must not be sacrificed to save my existence.'

'Faith, Sebastian?' spat Angela. 'A sense of justice?'

He reached into the shrouds, preparing to haul himself further up. 'Aesthetics. There's only so far you can go.'

'But no limit to how deep one can fall,' said Angela. 'And you are _going down_!'

The mainmast shook. Sebastian scanned the next mast for a convenient crosstree to land on and prepared to leap. Angela's pretty face contorted with hatred. Leaning forward, she drove a fistful of feathers into Sebastian's foot, pinning him to the wood. Then she jumped over to the other mast, losing her cap in the movement. Her hair, along with her white clothing, turned her into a silver streak against the glaring sun.

The sailors and policemen below forgot about the imminent danger and stared up. High above their heads, the desperate demon pulled with both hands to free his fixed leg.

The mast broke and toppled over. The deck started to tilt as the clipper careened.

'Sir, we must abandon ship immediately,' said the commissioner, and Ciel agreed. He struggled up the towering deck, then was grabbed by the two policemen. With their help he reached the dock's safe ground and stood there, watching and waiting.

He could no longer see Sebastian – or Angela - on the mainmast. The rigging had become one great cluster of wood, canvas, hoists and rope that was pulling the mast sideways, toward the water. Finally, the mast crashed into the ship's rail, damaging another vessel and plunging men and material into the Thames. The air rung with voices. The bridge officers hollered their orders, the sailors in the water cried for help, and those who found themselves in no immediate danger swore and cursed. Debris and ropes floated on the water like the tendrils of a strange water lily. Beneath the surface, a deadly mesh of ropes and weights had unfolded, capturing and holding the kicking, struggling, swimming sailor's one by one.

Still, no sign of Sebastian.

Ciel scanned the dark waters without haste or panic. He continued to do so, even as he heard the footsteps behind him. When they came to a halt, he said, 'Well, another case successfully solved. I don't think they'll manage to convict the viscount. But I daresay, our part was easy.' He turned and quirked an eyebrow. 'What took you so lo- '

His butler stood behind him. However, 'stood' was maybe the wrong word: Sebastian held himself upright, disheveled, swaying softly, looking like the prominent word on his mind was something in the line of 'bllllll...'

'At least, you're not wet,' Ciel observed, after a second or two.

'I managed to get off ... just before the mast hit the water.' Sebastian said, recovering quickly. He pointed at a carriage that waited in some distance. 'I even retrieved the artefacts before the hold was flooded.'

'I did not order you to do that!'

'No,' said an arrogant voice from the carriage. 'But you would. And it would've been too late. Ancient artefacts don't take well to water.'

'What is Ash doing here? And on the coachman's seat?' asked Ciel.

'He came to collect Her Majesty's possessions, said Sebastian, darkly.

'But - but you can't just take that stuff and disappear with it, said Ciel to the queen's butler. 'They are my - '

'Don't worry. Her Majesty will know who sent her these nice presents,' promised Ash. 'Look. I gift-wrapped them.' He lifted a small parcel: It was wrapped in yellow paper with the Phantomhive family crest printed in dark blue all over it.

'Where did you get that?'

'The Indian prince was all too eager to provide everything I asked for. Especially when I told him I was acting in your best interest,' said Ash. 'Now, Earl Phantomhive: Did you or did you not plan to present these artefacts to Her Majesty, once the thieves were caught?'

Now, Sebastian and Ciel both clenched their teeth.

'Certainly,' said Ciel with forced politeness. 'Please, convey Her Majesty my greetings.'

'With pleasure, I will.' Smiling, Ash whipped the horse and set off.

'An unpleasant fellow,' said Ciel. 'Which reminds me – wasn't that Angela with you on that mast? Where'd she go? She's an angel, right? Did you ask her for help?'

'I did not,' said Sebastian. 'Her prize was too high.'

Ciel eyed his butler suspiciously, then dropped the subject. There were more pressing things to learn:

'Sebastian? Why do you always try to gain higher ground when that monster attacks?'

Sebastian looked at Ciel with owlish eyes.

'Come on,' urged Ciel. 'I've been watching you all day. Your evasive move is as predictable as it is ineffective and foolish. You've got to have a reason.'

'I - ,' said Sebastian and stopped.

Ciel drew a sharp breath. 'You don't know,' he said. 'You don't have an inkling.'

'When the Pan-goat attacks, it seems like I don't have a choice,' Sebastian confessed. 'It's all I can think of: Find some higher ground and save myself.'

'But you don't save yourself,' Ciel pointed out. 'You end up tumbling down right in front of the beast's nose every time you try.'

'I know,' said Sebastian flatly. 'Yet, it seems I can't help it. You're right, of course. It doesn't make sense.'

'On the contrary. Seems like it makes a lot of sense. For your opponent,' said Ciel, lively. 'Don't you see?'

Sebastian shook his head. Not very confident, but it was enough for Ciel to go on: 'Your fights do have a tendency to become three-dimensional. You go up roofs and walls, and I guess a show-down on a tower, or a bridge, or some other lofty place would be just fine with you. Am I right?' He didn't wait for Sebastian to respond, but went on, excitedly, 'You move like you had wings, when in fact you don't. It's your style. From what I've seen, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that it's a treat all of your kind share, more or less. And the Pan-goat turns it against you.'

Sebastian's face showed that he was catching on to Ciel's meaning. The idea seemed difficult to grasp and he spoke slowly, as if listening to himself: 'It chases me up on the roof. However, instead of facing me there, it breaks down the building under my feet.'

'It does even more than that,' said Ciel. 'Somehow, it actually brings gravitation down over your head. You don't normally tumble like that, therefore you hit the ground shaken and bruised and flustered. Easy prey for a beast specialized in this kind of hunt.' Ciel looked at his butler, left eye sparkling. 'Let's try something new. Sebastian! I order you: Next time the monster charges, you'll stay on the ground.'

Sebastian looked utterly unenthusiastic, even miserable. His master didn't care.

'Let's go home and set the stage,' said Ciel, eagerly scheming their next move. 'You'll be in the entrance hall. Soma and I will hide on the balcony, carrying guns. Agni shall use the Hand of Kali. And this time, there'll be no climbing on furniture or going up walls or roofs. Um, chimneys and mantlepieces. Doors. High ledges and window sills. Have I thought of everything? Steps. Banisters. Pedestals. You hear me? You will use none of these to make that mistake and go up. That's an order, Sebastian. Confirm!'

'Yes, mylord,' Sebastian said, lifting Ciel on his arm. Once the boy had wrapped his arms securely around the demon's neck, Sebastian cast down his eyes, heaving a very soft sigh. He seemed at equal parts pleased that his master was such a cold-blooded, stone-hearted gambler, and unhappy that it was he himself who should suffer the consequences.

+++ End of Chapter 3 +++

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><p>AN: Writing this was fun. I had to look up construction plans for sailing ships, find the names of things and translations for words I hadn't even know existed. Even in my native language I never made a character sit on a "crosstree" or stand on a "ratline" before. Or maybe I did, but I was able to describe in a way that's simply not available to me in English, so I needed the correct terms here. And although now I learned what a "ratline" is - I still don't remember the word in my native language. _Nice going, Eilike. Really neat._ :)


	4. Friends and Foes

Thanks to everyone who let me know that they enjoy this story! It was so motivating to read your comments - you made me finish this chapter earlier than I had planned to. You really did, because I'm not at home right now, and I need to use someone else's word processor. But they know that I can't be stopped when it comes to writing, so it's okay...it has to be :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian, Ciel, Ash, Angela, Soma, Agni and/or any other characters of the series. I hold no rights whatsoever to Kuroshitsuji/"Black Butler", and I do not make money out of this.

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><p>Chapter 4: Friends and Foes - and Not a Beast At All!<p>

It was early evening, and Sebastian was walking around in the entrance hall of Ciel's town-house, dusting the furniture. Ciel had suggested that he sit on a chair in the middle of the room. But Sebastian argued that it was unseemly for a butler to loiter idly without a task at hand.

So he wandered with his feather duster in hand, moving it over this vase and that window sill, rubbing fingerprints off the banister and frowning at a smudgy footprint at the bottom of the steps.

Agni, who had caused the soiling, was beside himself with silent contrition. He perched in a hide-out under the stairs, ready for battle with his right hand bare and the power of _samadhi_ summoned to his assistance.

On the first floor balcony Ciel and Soma hid side by side behind the banister. Ciel was armed with his handgun, and Soma had insisted on carrying the sword that was to play a vital part in their plan.

When they set up the scene, a certain obvious question had inevitably come up: _'And if it works? If the Pan-goat attacks, and Sebastian doesn't try to escape? What then? What's going to eliminate the danger once and for all?'_

It was then that Ciel remembered the story of the Goddess Kali, as related by Soma and Agni: She had killed a demon by cutting off his head. And of course, with Kali being the center of his personal belief, Soma was instantly hooked for the idea of killing his own demon after her fashion.

Ciel wasn't quite as convinced of the outcome. But Sebastian had pointed out that being headless would inevitably cause _some_ inconvenience for any creature disguising itself as a vertebrate. And especially so for a goat-thing, whose main mode of attacking was to use its horns as a battering ram.

Now, all they needed was for the monster to accept the bait and show itself...

They waited. The light began to wane. Sebastian continued to wield his feather duster, walking randomly this way and that.

Suddenly, Soma got up and slapped his hand on the hand rail. 'I've had enough! It's not coming!'

'Shut up and get down!' hissed Ciel.

'I'm hungry,' complained Soma. 'And I'm tired of sitting in this drafty hall. It's getting dark, and it's time for dinner and some card ga- ga- ' The word seemed stuxck in his throat. Swallowing drily, he raised his left hand and pointed.

'It begins,' said Ciel, seeing the dark shape that had appeared behind his butler. The Pan-goat was a clever hunter, and it made sure to show itself only when there was enough distance to take a good run-up.

Sebastian enhanced the distance even more as he backed off. The Pan-goat bolted. Sebastian turned and ran, frantically looking for some higher ground to go up. The furniture – _verboten_. The walls – off limits. The very roof – out of the question. His master's order put blazing swords in front of every escape.

Ciel, Soma and Agni looked on open-mouthed, as Sebastian streaked round and round the entrance hall like a black flash contained by powerful forcefields. The Indian butler was the first to recover.

'Mister Sebastian!' he cried, stepping out into the hall and opening his arms wide to attract the goat's attention.

He unfailingly attracted his fellow butler's attention.

_'Agni!'_ yelled Soma, leaning way over the banister.

_'Sebastian!'_ hollered Ciel, ducking under the hand rail.

But it was too late. Spying the only opportunity to "go up" that was not encompassed by his master's order, Sebastian climbed the tall Indian. He ended up standing on Agni's shoulders. Taken by surprise, Agni grabbed the demon's ankles to steady him.

The Pan goat hesitated.

'Mister Sebastian,' panted Agni. 'Do you have any suggestions?'

'You can let go of my feet. There's no need to hold me.'

'Thank you. This will facilitate matters.' Agni raised his right hand, concentrating. Then he dove forward, clutching the goats' horns. Sebastian balanced easily.

The Pan goat bleated. As it opened ist mouth, Agni gazed into an abyss of teeth and darkness and age-old wickedness. He recoiled in horror. 'That – that's not a goat!'

'No, indeed,' said Sebastian. 'Mr. Agni? I would appreciate if you did not succumb to the human habit of curiosity just now, and approach it. Mr. Agni?'

_Something was moving in the black void,_ Agni realized, unable to stop staring._ Things that looked like red rose buds, revolving around an invisible center of gravity..._

'Mr. Agni?' The foot on his right shoulder kicked him with desperate urgency.

Agni saw the rose buds stop - and suddenly, they snapped open like firecrackers. They still looked like flowers, but they were vicious blossoms with razor-edged petals, dyed with blood and still hungry for more. The sight of half a dozen additional mouths gaping at him, broke the spell: Gasping, Agni backed off. He realized only now how dangerously close he'd come to the beast which Mr. Sebastian tried so desperately to avoid. He stumbled backwards even faster. Now, he heard the voices of Master Soma and Master Ciel. They ordered him to get out of the way, so that Master Ciel could shoot the monster.

_'Mr. Agni...!'_ Things had gotten wobbly eight feet up, but Sebastian balanced bravely.

At this moment, the doorbell rang.

'Huh?' said Soma, and Ciel was almost startled into firing his handgun at the door. Agni stopped walking backwards and looked to the entrance.

Sebastian sighed from the bottom of his lungs. 'I get it,' he said and jumped down from Agni's shoulders. He allowed himself a second to straighten his tie, then, with head held high, he started to cross the hall.

'Mr. Sebastian, this is madness,' shouted Agni after him.

'Someone's at the door.' Pulling his left glove tight, Sebastian half-turned to look back over his shoulder. 'A visitor to the house of the Phantomhive family. We cannot welcome him like we're practising for the circus.'

With that he reached for the door and pulled it open. Outside stood Ash.

Their eyes met with a hardness that might have stricken sparks. Yet, after the first moment of confrontation had passed, both put on a polite face. Ash smirked in his usual sardonic way, and Sebastian smiled with exuberant hospitality.

'Good evening, Mr. Sebastian,' Ash said. 'I hope I do not intrude. But I have an urgent message from Her Majesty to deliver.' He paused, as Sebastian seemed to receive a violent shove in the back and took a step forward to steady himself. Quick like a striking viper, Ash clutched at the door to keep it from being slammed into his face. For about two seconds, they both struggled for balance, Sebastian using the door for support, and Ash bracing himself against the demon's momentum and weight. When they had sorted themselves out, Ash peeked around the corner. 'Say, isn't it uncomfortable to fend off an attacking Pan-goat while receiving a visitor?'

'If you could just – pass me the message, so I can – hand it to my master,' beamed Sebastian. A thousand tiny, friendly laugh lines had formed around his squeezed-shut eyes. Behind the cover of the door he stemmed his left foot between the charging beast's horns, keeping it at bay. The Pan-goat's hooves scraped on the floor as it pushed forward, puffing.

Ash watched the fight with interest. 'Are you sure you want me to let go of this door?'

'Mr. Ash, is it?' Agni stepped forward, intent on helping Sebastian out of his fix. 'As Mr. Sebastian is ... currently indisposed, you can deliver your message to me.'

Ash shrugged his shoulders. He pushed through the crack and let go of the door to produce the queen's letter.

His counter-pressure gone, the door slammed shut, bereaving Sebastian of the precious support. He was pushed forward by the Pan-goat, caught himself with both hands against the wood, turned and met his opponent with a powerful lunge. Within moments, they were engaged in a furious wrestling match.

'Shoo!' Ash waved his hands dismissively at the tangle of limbs, horns, teeth, and flying shreds of ragged fur and black cloth. 'I have a message to give to this gentleman. Shoo!'

The Pan-goat stopped and gazed at him. Sebastian sat on its back and, using the short reprieve, twisted its neck.

'Aaw, that was crude,' said Ash, and added, 'It's not a very nice sight now.'

The Pan-goat bleated at Sebastian, and, like Agni before, he flinched away from the abyss that was its maw. It turned its head back, cervical vertebrae crackling, and healed. Then it flung itself down and rolled on the floor, rolling over the demon and coming back up on top.

'Interesting.' Ash cocked his eyebrow, but his amused looks darkened within seconds. 'And unnatural. Impertinent. _Unnatural!_'

'Look who's talking,' gasped Sebastian, wrestling with the Pan-goats horns that tried to dig into his stomach and gut him.

Ash said, 'I don't tolerate crude behavior that's against the laws of nature in a fine, orderly, English hall like this one. Get thee hence, demon!' He drew his sword and pointed it imperiously at the door.

No one heeded him.

Furrowing his brow, Ash whacked the Pan-goat over the shabby tail end. _'Hence,_ I said!' he repeated lordly over a noise like the amplified rustle of an eagle spreading its wings. The Pan-goat and Sebastian disentangled, and the astonished audience witnessed the strange scene of both, demon and monster, lunging side by side for the door.

Sebastian was there first and, mustering his last ounce of strength, pulled the door open to save his master's property from getting even more damaged than it already was. The Pan-goat dashed past him and disappeared into the night. Watching it escape, Sebastian slowly slid down the door, until he sat on the floor. He was bleeding, but he did not seem to notice. Looking around himself, he spotted his left shoe in some distance and set out to collect it.

'You would not by chance feel addressed, too?' asked Ash. 'Would it help, if I phrased it in Latin and lit a black candle?'

'Your message, please, sir,' said Agni, moving between the white-clad butler and Sebastian, who finished putting on his shoe and realized in a slightly dazed way that his right glove was missing, too.

Ash turned to Agni. 'Her Majesty sends the Earl Phantomhive her thanks for his service. And for the beautiful artefacts. She hopes the Earl will join the get-together, tomorrow at noon at the Society's garden. There will be a picnic and gondolas on the artificial lake during the eclipse. – This invitation includes you and your master, the Prince Soma. Her Majesty, the Empress of India, has been informed of the role the two of you played in the purchasing of the artefacts at the auction.'

'A party!' Soma got to his feet. 'Ciel, and we're both invited!'

'Shut up, you fool,' hissed Ciel, still watching from under the banisters.

Soma waved his hands, shouting, 'Hey, you! Butler of the Empress! We'll be there!'

_'Prince Soma!'_ Feeling his blood pound in his ears, Ciel tugged the taller boy's sleeve to make him stop jumping up and down with excitement. _Why had this prince to be so embarrassing?_

'My master feels greatly honoured,' said Agni to Ash, eager to get rid of the strange man. 'Tell Her Majesty, Prince Soma and his most humble servant will attend the gathering.'

'See you tomorrow then.' Smiling, Ash pointed his sword at the demon, who sat in a reclined position, leaning on his hands and breathing deeply with his head tipped far back. 'You may feel addressed, too, Sebastian. Her Majesty understands that you are _the most humble servant_ of and therefore inseparable from the Earl Phantomhive, whose presence would delight her so much.'

Sebastian raised his head. His eyes blazed. 'Why don't you light a black candle and tell me in Latin?' he asked. _'Maybe offer a small sacrifice,_ if it's so important to your mistress? Just to make sure I get your meaning - and survive this night?'

'Oh, no.' Smirking, Ash pointed the tip of his sword between Sebastian's eyes and enjoyed the glaring look that the exhausted demon sent along the shining blade. 'You said it yourself: There's only so far one can go. And I'm taking my leave now. _Earl Phantomhive. Prince Soma._'

Ash withdrew his sword to salute to the boys on top of the stairs. Nimbly, he crossed the hall, and, sheathing his sword, he left.

As soon as Ash was gone, Soma bolted down the stairs. Ciel followed at a more dignified pace. The young Earl felt as if he were walking in a bad dream. He descended the steps one after the other, unable to take his eyes off the blood on the floor. Memories of another room soiled with blood threatened to surface, and he mustered his courage to hold them down.

Agni had gone to a crouch beside Sebastian. 'Your leg,' he said gravely. 'It's open thigh to knee. You're losing a great deal of blood.'

'Never mind the blood,' Sebastian told him through clenched teeth. 'Why didn't you stop Ash from leaving?'

'Why?' Agni asked in all honesty. 'Because I'm glad he's gone. He took pleasure in seeing you getting hurt. I am sorry to have to say that about a fellow butler. But he seems like a cold-hearted, arrogant - '

'He's a snob,' Soma cut in with an air of finality. He flopped down on the floor opposite the two butlers. And then, rare and uncharacteristically enough, he shut up.

Ciel looked around for a chair to relieve his shaking knees, but since no-one seemed inclined to provide one he also went to sit on the naked stone tiles.

There they sat in a small circle, watching Agni's attempts at staunching the bleeding. Sebastian observed his every movement with detached interest, as if he tried to will his body to heal. Which was probably more or less the case.

Finally, Ciel spoke up. 'What are we going to do with you?' he asked, shaking his head.

'I really hoped it would not come to that, but...,' said Sebastian, 'Young master? Do you remember the golden plovers? The aviary at the Society?'

'What about them, Sebastian?'

Sebastian looked at his fingers and wondered in a light-headed way if the humans would take offense if he licked off the blood, 'We've got to release them.'

'But Mr. Sebastian. What good would that do?' asked Agni, and 'Are you crazy?' asked Ciel, 'Why would I release a flock of birds?', and 'What are golden plovers?' asked Soma.

'The way in which I mean to resort to them is based on Greek legend,' explained Sebastian. 'There is a story - a young man, named Agron, offended Hermes, the messenger of the gods, by calling him a thief. Hermes turned him into a plover. Since then, plovers are used as watchdogs in some cultures, warning the inhabitants of farmhouses against thieves. Some say, they even know when death approaches, it being one of Hermes' functions to lead the souls of the dead to Hades, the underworld. I don't know whether that's true. But I_ do_ know that plovers have a certain way with the supernatural - especially angels.'

'I see,' said Ciel. 'So, you think that if we set them free, they'll find Angela and maybe convince her to help you?'

Sebastian nodded his head and regretted immediately. He didn't need blood pressure to live. But it wasn't easy, keeping one's sense of "up" and "down" without it.

'You could've said so before,' said Ciel, slightly reproachingly. 'Like, right away this morning, when you were attacked in the kitchen.'

'To what end? My duty as your butler was paramount. I couldn't have gone crouching under an angel's wings before your mission for the queen was completed, young master.'

'And now, this affiar has reached a critical state,' said Ciel. 'The Pan-goat seems intent on speeding things up. If you were attacked in the Society's honorable halls your fight would wreak chaos on the furniture like it wreaked havoc on mine. I'm sorry, Sebastian. But I don't think you should come with me this time.'

Sebastian looked unhappy, but he said bravely, 'You're probably right, young master.'

'We'll accompany you, Ciel,' said Soma, and Agni nodded.

'Just let me take Mr. Sebastian to his room,' he said, 'and we'll be ready to - '

'I can get there on my own,' said Sebastian. He had begun to climb to his feet, using Agni for support. 'In fact, I'll have dinner ready by the time you return. Young master, how about shrimp salad for starters, followed by - ' He stopped, surprised.

Ciel had stood up and approached him with open arms. He rose on tip-toe and enclosed his butler in a tight embrace, snuggling up against him. Sebastian caught his breath, unbelieving: 'Y-young master?'

'Sebastian! My faithful and loyal servant!' Ciel's right hand snaked around Sebastian's neck and settled somewhere above his shoulderblade. Sebastian sat very still, fearing to wake up. 'I promise we will find a way to help you.'

_Tap, tap,_ drummed Ciel's fingers on Sebastian's back, drawing his attention.

'Agni and I will go to the Society and do as you've told us.'

_Play along,_ wrote Ciel's index finger on Sebastian's back, and the demon relaxed a bit: This wasn't a dream. This was his master as he knew him.

'Soma will stay here, with you,' said Ciel, busily scribbling _Soma wants to join Agni and me!_ on Sebastian's back.

'Er,' said Soma, 'actually I thought, I'd go with - '

Ciel raised his voice: 'You must be very tired, Sebastian!'

_I couldn't stand that twit in my company. Got to find a reason to leave him behind. _

'Y-yes?' said Sebastian.

'Let Agni help you get to your room. Get some rest, Sebastian.'

'That would be ... nice, young master.' Sebastian realized that Ciel had a problem, trying to say one thing out loud while silently writing quite another at the same time. So the demon just returned the embrace to buy him time. Agni and Soma looked on, deeply touched by so much emotion.

Ciel wrote, _We know he's a caring person when someone he counts among his 'friends' is sick. He's qualified to sit by someone's bedside; we'll make him sit by yours. But he must believe that his help is indispensable, otherwise he might decide to sneak after us. Therefore make it look real. _

The demon laughed softly. 'For one brief moment I almost thought you were worried, young master,' he confided, his voice a mere breath against Ciel's neck.

Ciel's eyes narrowed and his back stiffened. _Worried? Don't be silly! Why would I be? And stop squeezing me like that. I can't breathe._

Ciel emphasized his point by drumming a lively _full stop_ on Sebastian's back.

'I'm sorry!' Sebastian released him immediately. His hand remained lightly on Ciel's shoulder. Ciel's hand still touched the demon's neck. They looked at each other. Ciel's eyes were hard, daring Sebastian to suggest that he was driven by anything like amicable feelings towards a chess piece. Sebastian's face was unreadable, then soften into a smile.

'My soul,' he said softly. Then he closed his eyes and let all tension drain off his body. He collapsed so suddenly that Agni almost toppled over, catching him, and even Ciel was startled into reaching out his hand, too. Agni got to his feet, picking the demon up in his arms. Ciel's hand was hidden under the small of Sebastian's back.

_Don't get dramatic! _he wrote, angrily. _Who's going to believe that?_

'He passed out,' said Agni, scanning the pale face for signs of consciousness.

'That was fast,' observed Soma.

Ciel wrote,_ Sebastian? _

'Master Soma. He's bleeding again.'

'Take him to his room, Agni,' said Soma. 'You can patch him up there.'

_Sebastian? Are you breathing?_

'Come on, Ciel, move,' ordered Soma. 'You're standing in Agni's way.'

'No, just a second, I've got to - ' Ciel scribbled feverishly.

_Sebastian! Start breathing! Now!_

'That's an order,' said Ciel forlornly, dropping his hand.

'I'll see to his wound. He'll be alright.' Agni maneuvered his burden around the earl. 'And then we should set out for the Society as he asked us to do, Master Ciel.'

'No!' Ciel looked up wildly. 'I cannot leave! Something's wrong – with Sebastian!'

'That's the first time you notice?' asked Soma, darkly. 'But I guess my help is indispensable here. You just go with Agni, release those stupid birds. I'll stay with your butler. Don't worry.'

As if on cue, Sebastian moved a little and drew a shuddering breath: Ciel's order had registered, however a little belatedly.

However, Ciel felt his cheeks flush with the heat of embarrassment. _Who was going to believe this little drama, indeed?_

'I don't worry!' he screamed, 'Why would I?'

And he stormed off.

Doubtfully, Soma looked at the limp figure in Agni's arms. Deadly pale, bleeding and breathing in small, rattling gasps, Ciel's butler looked like he was going to stay unconscious well into the next day, but...

'I do,' Soma said.

+++ End of Chapter 4 +++

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><p>AN: In this chapter I introduced a little poetic license, which I would like to correct: There *is* a Greek legend about Hermes being offended by Agron, who was turned into a plover for punishment. And it *is* part of Hermes' mythological function to lead the souls of the deceased to Hades, and plovers *have been used* as watchdogs in some countries (very much like geese, obviously). The connection between these facts, I made up myself. I admit it's a little bizarre. But it fitted the bill so nicely. :)


	5. Angels and Demons Part 1

So, it's Monday already. This chapter was meant as a "hit-and-run" on Ciel's and Agni's part, but Ciel decided to make things complicated. Therefore, it became real long and I had to split it in two. More to follow...

Thanks for reviewing, Tamlin and promocat! You keep me going! All you others - I can only guess that you're out there; please review and let me know for sure! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian, Ciel, Ash, Angela, Soma, Agni and/or any other characters of the series. I hold no rights whatsoever to Kuroshitsuji/"Black Butler", and I do not make money out of this.

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><p>+++ Chapter 5: Angels and Demons - and Very Naughty Beasts (Part 1) +++<p>

On the journey to the Honorable Society of Ancient History and Art, Agni was clearly mulling over some problem. He sat in the hired hansom cab beside Ciel and absent-mindedly looked out of the window as the small, swift vehicle weaved through the London evening traffic.

Finally, Ciel found it impossible to stand the silence and the stealthy sidelong glances any longer: 'What? What is it? If you want to say something, do so! Are you worried because your master's not with us? Do you think he's in danger, keeping company with Sebastian?'

'No, of course not. It's just...' Agni hesitated, then said, 'When I put Mr. Sebastian in this ground-floor guestroom, he was unconscious and his wound was bleeding profusely. I went to heat some water in order to wash and dress the gash in his leg. But when I returned, there was a used basin standing on the bedside table. Someone had cleaned Mr. Sebastian's wound with cold water, clothed him in a fresh suit and even changed the soiled bedsheets. But there was no-one in the house but you, myself and Master Soma. ... Well, no-one awake, at any rate.'

'That's what's eating you?' Ciel feigned a laugh. 'I, for my part, am glad to hear that your master is not above administering first aid when the necessity arises.'

'You think it was Master Soma?'

'Well, it was certainly not me.' Ciel made a point of staring ahead, his chin on his hand, looking bored. It was just like Sebastian, snatching at the few seconds when he was unguarded to take care of himself before someone else did. Soma must've surprised him, otherwise he'd have cleaned away the evidence as well.

Ciel felt Agni's gaze on him. Deep inside, Agni knew that the spoiled prince was not the kind of person to touch anything remotely blood-and-gore-like. But he held his master in so high esteem that he just could not bring himself to object openly to Ciel's positive opinion. He rather started feeling bad because he had doubted Soma's noble intent.

'Don't start crying, for heaven's sake,' said Ciel. 'We're about to get off and socialize!'

He looked at the Society's building, trying to guess the number of lighted windows. A lot of activity seemed to be going on inside. There was a dozen of carriages and hansoms waiting on the driveway and probably more parked in the stables.

One of the Society's man-servants opened the hansom and welcomed them. He led the way to the main house, giving a list of the gentlemen already present in different parlours, the billard room, the smoking room, the library and the debating club. Ciel beckoned to Agni.

'This is how it works,' he whispered. 'In a place like this, gentlemen come together to spend a pleasant evening – to read or re-read newspapers and magazines, to smoke, play and discuss politics and other current affairs of public interest. I don't want to attract undue attention, therefore I'll join in some debate for half an hour. Then I'll decide to "move on to the billard room" and send for you "to accompany" me. And then...' He shrugged his shoulders to indicate that they would be free to do whatever they liked.

'What do I do until you send for me?' asked Agni. They were inside the building now and ascending the stairs to the first floor.

'You'll be invited to the room where the butlers and servants meet, waiting for their masters to call it a day. I understand that it's mostly the kitchen or the head butler's room – someplace, where all the main bell pulls lead to. Frankly, I never cared about the precise location or what's going on there, so if – oh!' Ciel stopped on a landing, when something outside the large window caught his glance. 'What are they doing?'

'They are preparing tomorrow's celebration,' said the man-servant, who had emphasized his polite disinterest in their conversation by walking a little farther ahead than was standard. Now, he returned.

Ciel and Agni looked through the window into the gardens. There was no moon in the sky, but torches and gas-lights lit the premises where several dozens of servants were at work. They put up heavy, man-sized candleholders and equipped them with candles. They set up long tables, where refreshments and snacks would be served. In the background, the artificial lake lay like a dark mirror. On its shores small boats that looked like Venetian gondolas were being prepared with paper garlands, golden bow-lanterns and punt poles.

'Master Ciel!' Agni pointed. 'Down there - Mr. Ash.'

The white-clad butler was a radiant figure that seemed to attract all the lights to himself. He moved between the wrought-iron candleholders, apparently measuring the distances with his strides and shifting the heavy objects here a few inches and there half a step.

'What is he up to?' wondered Ciel. Something about Ash's attitude gave him the creeps. But since his butler was not around, and Agni once more found English behavior a mystery yet to be riddled out, his question went unanswered.

* * *

><p><em>Half an hour of rest, and his leg didn't even hurt anymore.<em> Sebastian turned the information over in his mind and himself on the mattress. He hadn't planned to fall asleep, not really. But he had meant too well, and when he allowed his body to sag to 'make it look real', his consciousness had somehow faded out, too. It had returned, sort of, with Ciel's order to 'start breathing', and he hung on long enough to prevent Agni from stripping off his pants: It was too embarrassing, and besides, it wouldn't do at all, if the human found the wound already half-healed.

However, Soma's untimely arrival forced Sebastian to lie on the bed without being able to dispose of the dirty water and the stained linen. The prince had moved a chair over, Sebastian had continued to pretend... until from some point, there was only the night left. The silence of night, and the smells of night, and him being part of it.

He woke gently now, to the pleasant and peculiar scent of warm bee-wax and candle-smoke, of starched linen, old paint, dry wood, and a living human's body and soul right next to him.

'You're smiling,' observed Soma. Paper rustled as a book was lowered.

'I dreamed of fat ducks,' Sebastian said, taking pleasure in keeping his eyes closed for just a little while longer. Vision impaired the olfactory sense, and he liked the way this room smelled. 'The ones that recently moved into our back yard.'

'Oh,' said Soma. 'Nice.'

'No. Delicious.' The demon rolled over lazily, sensing but ignoring the human's sky-rocketing anxiety. _What a nice, peaceful awakening._ His homeworld knew, there had been others: Ciel ringing the bell like the house was about to come down over their heads. Finny and Bard fighting in front of the door.

Not to mention those particularly nasty summoning spells every demon knew and dreaded – coming to his senses in a ritual circle, surrounded by frenzied human faces who shouted ridiculous wishes at his buzzing head: _Give me wealth, make her love me, grant me eternal life..._

Sebastian stretched and blinked. _Gosh, he was glad, it wasn't one of those!_

'Please,' said Soma uncomfortably, 'don't try to get up.'

'A very modest plea by comparison, but I'm afraid I cannot comply,' said Sebastian, moving to sit up. 'The young master will be hungry when he returns. I shall get up and prepare - '

But he couldn't.

His effort only resulted in a sharp jolt that nearly dislodged his shoulders.

He slumped back, completely taken by surprise.

Then he realized: It was his hands. He couldn't move them. The wrists were crossed and seemed fastened to something very solid, somewhere above his head. He could lie on his back, and he could turn over to lie on either side. But he could not raise himself higher than his shoulderblades allowed, which was not really far even given a demon's flexibility.

Looking at Soma's guilty face, Sebastian realized that it might be _one of those awakenings_, after all.

'Don't say you hadn't been warned,' murmured Soma.

'Prince Soma!' Sebastian craned his neck to get a glimpse at his hands. But someone had arranged a pillow in his line of vision. He couldn't see the problem, only guess that it had to do with thin loops of unknown material. He felt them cut into his flesh now, if he moved. 'If the Pan-goat returns, it will be a very bad idea to strap me to the bed!'

He tugged as he spoke. He didn't dare give it a real effort. He felt strongly that he must go easy on these ties. He must not damage them. Terrible consequences ensued, if he damaged the ties that he could not see.

'It's for your own good,' explained Soma, trying to sound self-assured. 'Only half an hour ago, you nearly bled to death! You can't just get up now and move around like you – like you - ' Soma looked into Sebastian's eyes and his mind went blank, 'like no doubt you would, if I hadn't detained you,' he finished lamely.

'Prince Soma! I didn't know that someone of your rank and upbringing was afraid of a butler performing his duty, no matter the personal cost!'

'But that's just my point,' mumbled Soma. 'It doesn't seem to cost you anything...not personally, not ever...'

'You have no idea,' muttered Sebastian under his breath. In his mind, he went through half a dozen means of disabling a demon of his calibre. Most of them involved strong magic, rituals and practices. Unfortunately, some of them were fool-proof. They would work, even if a silly mortal like Soma recited the spell.

_Especially if Soma recited the spell_, him being obviously extraordinarily silly and mortally afraid.

Sebastian writhed on the mattress, straining against the bonds. 'Prince Soma! This is not a game! You are tampering with forces you cannot possibly understand or control!'

'I – I only took two of them,' said Soma, shaking. 'I didn't think he'd notice. Or mind. You think he'll get mad at me?'

'Who? Two of what? Prince Soma!_ I need to know!_'

'Ciel,' said Soma. 'I bound you with two of his eyepatches. I figured you would not tear these things wantonly, and so - '

'Eye - _excuse me?_'

'I looped them around your wrists real tight, and – _are they too tight_?' Soma knitted his eyebrows. 'I could try and loosen them some, if they cut off your circulation...'

_'My circulation_ is one of the ineffable things _you_ don't tamper with, so drop it!' Sebastian flopped back on the bed and took a deep breath. No magic. No spell. Just aesthetics. And a demon's instinct when it came to knowing and preserving his master's property. Ciel's eyepatches, indeed! No wonder, he'd not woken up when Soma had put those bonds on him. They were the accessories most closely connected to Ciel's marked eye, the visible token of his desire, and oath, and sacrifice.

'I bet I even savoured the smell, when these things were applied,' mumbled Sebastian.

'Er, no,' said Soma honestly. 'But you did snuggle up a bit, and you smiled. Like an - '

Whatever he meant to say, there was nothing very angelic about the way, the demon's eyes narrowed at him now. Soma didn't know, but it was all Sebastian could do to stop them from gleaming red.

Finally, he said, 'Prince Soma. I suggest that you release me. Instantly.'

'No,' said Soma, pushing out his chin.

Sebastian drew a hissing breath, 'May I inquire as to why not?'

'If you are still wounded, then you should not be walking around.' Soma crossed his arms. 'And if that wound already healed, so that you _could_ walk around, I had rather that you stay put. For the simple reason that you just looked at me like you might wish to hurt me in return. And this, I can't allow, because I promised Ciel to attend to my duties. Watching over you, for instance.' He sat down and picked up his book. 'End of discussion.'

Sebastian blankly watched him open the book, find the right page and delve into reading. His anger was gone. Instead, he felt his head softly beginning to buzz. 'Whether one wakes up on a bed or trapped in a ritual circle,' he said, 'it's never quite that easy with you people, is it?'

* * *

><p>Since it was so important to Master Ciel not to cause a stir, Agni complied to customs and sat with the other servants in the kitchen. At first, he'd been at the center of attention: Cooking recipes, fashion, Bengalian life style – there was nothing about the exotic butler's first-hand information his English colleagues did not want to learn. Gradually, however, the interest died down and for almost five minutes now, the topics circled around the proper method of ironing a newspaper.<p>

'Not too hot,' insisted an elderly butler and suggested testing the temperature on a white hair from a donkey's tail. He lifted one finger to underline his words. A white hair! A donkey's tail!

_That was reasonable,_ said someone. _But how did he lay hands on the prime minister's wig?_

'Don't you take Lord Salisbury's name in vain, Liberal!' a young man-servant snarled in response, and 'Guard your tongue, Whig!' another. Before long, the exchange of professional advice heated considerably and threatened to end in a fist-fight.

Agni decided that he had been taught an interesting lesson in British debating culture tonight, and he slipped out.

Wandering through the corridors, he wondered if he should try and find the aviary on his own. Or should he go and pick up Master Ciel first, even though he'd not been sent for yet? He understood that the birds were located in another part of the building. If he went there alone, what explanation should he give, if someone stopped him and asked? What would Master Ciel say?

As Agni walked, pondering these questions, he suddenly heard noises as of small birds. The chirping voices echoed in the silent building, only disturbed by distant laughter from the billard room and the continued shouting from the kitchen. Agni followed the sounds and soon encountered two young valets who were each sitting on a large metal cage full of birds.

Agni saw the golden and black feathers and took an educated guess as to the species. 'You, boys? Where are you taking these birds?'

Surprised by suddenly being talked to, the boys jumped to their feet. They probably blushed, but it was too dark to see.

'Mr. Ash wants them in the garden, in preparation for tomorrow's celebration,' said the taller and probably older boy. 'But these two cages are not enough to house them all. We need to find at least two more. We just discussed where best to look.'

'Please,' chimed in the other boy, 'don't tell Mr. Ash that you found us sitting on them!'

'I won't,' promised Agni. 'Why don't you two run and see what you can find? Meanwhile, I'll take these cages to Mr. Ash. I understand he's an impatient person. We wouldn't want to keep him waiting.'

The two boys eyed him suspiciously. 'Why would you do that, sir?'

Agni straightened up to his full, impressive height. 'Because I'm the butler to Prince Soma Asman Kadal. I have made a promise to come for these birds tonight and help a friend, and come for them I have, and take care of him I will.' As he spoke he already took the cages out of the baffled boys' hands. 'Is there anything else you would like to learn, boys?' he asked, smiling friendly.

The boys shook their heads and ran.

_Now to find Master Ciel,_ thought Agni, piling the two cages on his arms. _There is something going on here which I just don't like._

* * *

><p>After ten minutes of listening to his fellow nobles, Ciel knew that he was at the bottom of everything that had happened out of the ordinary in the city today. The ship wreck of the <em>Camellia Lady<em> was on everyone's lips. How could a vessel break her mainmast while laying at anchor at the dock? The Viscount Druitt had been sent an invitation for tonight's get-together to shed some light on the matter. But he'd sent a reply note: Due to the huge amounts of legal and insurance paperwork in the wake of the accident he was not able to join his honorable friends. Not tonight, and – alas – not tomorrow either.

Ciel hoped, the villain would watch the eclipse from behind a barred window. But hearing the gentlemen praise the youth's qualities, he already knew the viscount would bail out by tomorrow evening at latest. His honorable friends would make him, even if he himself should discover a late sense of justice and decide to accept punishment like Agni had once wanted to do.

_Speaking of Agni –_

Ciel sat up very straight, when the door was pushed open and the Indian peered in: 'Master Ciel?'

'Ciel?' The gentlemen nearest the door opened it all the way. 'The Earl Phantomhive, you mean? He's here.'

'Earl Phantomhive?' someone called, trying to be helpful. 'Your butler's looking for you!'

'His butler? Wasn't that always that "black raven" type? Did he hire a new one?'

'If he did, he's got to give me the telephone number of his old. That bloke was worth his weight in gold - '

' - didn't look like he ate much, either - '

' - one hell of a butler, you might say - '

'Master Ciel!' Agni stood in the door, carrying two cages full of birds. 'We must hurry! He told the boys to remove the plovers!'

'He – who?' asked Ciel, stone-faced. Somewhere behind him someone had started to whisper ('speaking of hell - guess what I heard today...?') about a chantor in the east end, who claimed to have seen the devil in his church just this noon. ('And he looked like someone risen from the grave, and he ran off with a boy-child in his arms.')

'Mr. Ash,' said Agni.

'Oh. This calls indeed for immediate action.' Ciel rose. 'Gentlemen, I am sorry, but I - '

'But, Earl Phantomhive. We haven't yet heard your opinion on what might've caused the sinking of the _Camellia Lady_. A vessel, so solid in build – '

'A demon sat on the mainmast,' said Ciel. 'The very same that scared the east end chantor, I should figure. To what moral? - Stay away from the Viscount Druitt's machinations. Good evening, gentlemen.' Desperately nodding in all directions, Ciel hurried after Agni. The gentlemen stared at the closed door.

'Was he making fun of us?' someone asked.

'The Earl Phantomhive? Highly unlikely!'

'There...was some talk, you know?' a third gentleman said. 'The police officer in charge reported that a woman had been seen in the rigging, just before the mast broke. A silver haired lady in a sailor's outfit.'

'Silver hair? Well, I hope he's not short-sighted and what he actually saw was our Lord Ash.'

'Eloping with the boy-child - the Viscount Druitt.'

Swooping laughter followed the remark. And then, they talked about something else.

* * *

><p>Ciel and Agni hastened through the corridors, leaving the brightly lit parts of the vast building and entering the unfrequented sections. Ciel had only entered the house once before. But these buildings tended to look very much the same, so he found his way without getting lost.<p>

From some point on, they only needed to follow the sound of excited birds.

They turned the corner and saw the high domed aviary. A woman in a blindlingly white dress stood in front of the cage, her back turned to them and her hands lightly clasping her own elbows.

'I can feel his presence, even if he's not with you, you know,' she said. 'I guess it's his mark on your soul.' She shivered as if she felt an icy draft. 'Impure. And his touch is foulness.'

'Angela,' said Ciel. 'I didn't expect to meet you here.'

Angela turned around. The candle light glinted in her eyes, and for one fleeting moment they looked red. 'But he asked for an angel, didn't he?' She unfolded her wings. 'You've found me. Now, how are you going to send me?'

Ciel heard Agni gasp with surprise. 'Take care,' he warned. 'She might try to hurt us.' He looked the angel up and down. 'She will definitely try to hurt me.'

'Then I will protect you, Master Ciel,' said Agni calmly.

'Hurt you?' asked Angela, giving a little silvery laugh. 'Why would I hurt you? Wasn't there enough blood shed? Poor Sebastian. Such a terrible foe, and no human soul to feed on. He must be on his knees by now.'

'Stop talking such nonsense,' said Ciel.

'Oh, but you must tell me all about it,' Angela smiled enchantingly and held out her open hands. 'Give me these birds, and we can talk. I am eager to hear just how bad Sebastian is wounded. And if you find the right words, words that invoke my sympathy with a vile creature's sufferings, I might be willing to make another offer to help. An offer that does not require him to take your soul right away.'

'My soul?'

'So he didn't tell you? The coward!' Angela's eyes were greedily on the bird cages in Agni's hands. She took a gliding step forward. 'But that's what he begged you to do, didn't he? Ask me to reconsider the price for my help.'

Ciel looked at her, stone-faced and full of hatred. 'Agni,' he said, turning to the Indian. Agni continued to stare at the dazzling apparition. But he raised the cages for Ciel to take hold of. Only Ciel had other plans: Instead of accepting the cages and surrendering them to the angel, he quickly slid back the bolts and opened the doors. 'Agni! Shake them a little! Make the birds get out!'

But it wasn't necessary, he realized even as he said it. The plovers were already on the move.

'NO!' yelled Angela. Her smile was wiped away, her features monstrously distorted. She took one step forward, then halted. She held her hand out as if she wanted to stop the birds that fluttered out and into the shadows. Their chirping voices sounded from the darkness.

Angela turned around, staring about her madly.

'You betrayed yourself when you offered to talk,' said Ciel. 'You would not talk to me. You would not reconsider your conditions. Sebastian knows that as well as I do. So, I wonder how he expects these birds to change your mind.' Ciel started to move towards the large aviary. The voices of birds echoed from all around them. Ciel tried to penetrate the darkness above their heads. 'I think something is already brewing...'

Angela drew a sword. It looked remarkably like Ash's, but then again the light was dim and Ciel could not be sure.

'I won't allow you to open this cage!' she screamed, dashing forward.

'Agni!' yelled Ciel.

But Agni had already moved and was blocking Angela's way. His only weapons were the two empty bird cages. He swung them, succeeding to hit the angel. She was thrown back and shook her head a little. She advanced again, slowlier this time.

'You're strong,' she said. 'But you're only human.'

Agni awaited her, swinging the cages and, no doubt, summoning _samadhi_. 'Go ahead, Master Ciel. Open the aviary. I will stop her.'

_'I – am – trying – to!'_ Ciel had reached the aviary and pushed at the bolt with both hands. Nothing moved. A thought crossed Ciel's mind: She must've blocked it. And if she had, it would take a supernatural's strength to undo the clutch... But Ciel just didn't want to call out for Sebastian. Gritting his teeth, he started a new attempt. He had promised he'd release the golden plovers so that was what he'd do. It was the least a butler could expect of his master, couldn't he? _To slide back a silly bolt from a stupid aviary's door, and no backing out!_

Agni dodged a vicious slash and countered with his makeshift weapons. He was fighting with empty bird cages, for heaven's sake! And the angel came back for another assault.

Ciel threw himself against the bolt, putting weight, strength, determination and pride into the task.

'I am Ciel Phantomhive!' he roared, eyes shut tight and knuckles white with the effort. 'I have opened quite different gates than this one to get my will!'

Creaking, the bolt gave way and slid back. Ciel stumbled, pulling open the cage door as he lost his balance. The birds rose and came out as if they had understood what the human meant to do and eagerly waited for him to succeed. They flew straight at Angela, hitting her in the face and getting entangled in her hair. The angel screamed and swayed, nearly going down. She dropped her weapon, needing her hands to protect her face. She turned away, she swatted at the attackers. But they appeared to be too small and too fast, even for her supernatural skills. She was bleeding now. And still the birds kept coming, power-diving from the shadows where they'd been hiding on stucco decorations and draperies until their ranks were completed.

Ciel and Agni stared, as the angel spun around and crashed through the window. The golden plovers followed her outside, a cloud of flitting golden and black bodies, beaks, claws and excited voices.

'Earl Phantomhive?' A couple of gentlemen and man-servants arrived. 'What's going on? We thought we heard you scream?'

Ciel pointed his thumb at the empty aviary. 'The birds got out,' he said. 'Good night, gentlemen.'

And he walked past them, and he was gone as if he'd melted into the shadows.

* * *

><p>+++ End of Chapter 5 +++<p> 


	6. Angels and Demons Part 2

Hello. I'm glad you're back :) Thanks to all my reviewers - I do my best to keep this new and surprising for you. And I think, with this chapter I give you something that you really didn't see coming ;-)

Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian, Ciel, Ash, Angela, Soma, Agni and/or any other characters of the series. I hold no rights whatsoever to Kuroshitsuji/"Black Butler", and I do not make money out of this.

* * *

><p>+++ Chapter 6: Angels and Demons - and Very Naughty Beasts (Part 2)<p>

The night progressed, and Ciel did not return. Sebastian lay on the bed, hands tied above his head. He had kept perfectly still for more than an hour, watching the prince. Soma sat on his chair beside the bed, reading and making a point of it.

Sebastian spoke softly, 'Prince Soma?'

'If you're going to ask me to take off your ties, forget it,' said Soma, turning a page and looking intently at the other.

'But I just meant to ask: What are you reading?'

'None of your business.'

'But I would like to know,' Sebastian insisted. 'It might become a long night, and it's only the two of us to keep each other company...'

Soma bent over his book. 'I'm reading. Stop talking.'

'Ah. So it's a story of suspense.'

'No. I mean - yes. It's a gothic novel about a scientist, who creates a man using body parts of dead people.' Soma turned the book over and looked at the cover. 'I thought it would be creepy to read. But there's just too much _blah blah_ about responsibility and morals and feelings and stuff.'

_'Frankenstein._ I've read it.' Sebastian nodded. 'Did you know it was written by a woman?'

'No, but I guess that explains a lot,' mumbled Soma.

'Don't you think, women are as adept as men at writing suspenseful stories?'

'No. Yes. Of course they do. But they - they shouldn't bother with, with - finding the right words to describe scenes of fighting and bloodshed and death. I mean, they should not even be forced to_ think about_ what those scenes look like.' He stopped, feeling that he might have ended up with his back against the wall.

But Sebastian got his meaning, 'They should be gentle and loving creatures, just like Meena,' he said. 'Meena, as you remember her. She was the only woman you ever found worth of your respect, wasn't she?' Sebastian's soft voice was as relentless as sympathetic. 'Do you still miss her?'

'What's it to you?' snapped Soma.

'Coming of age is such a lonely business.' Sebastian looked up, timing the movement perfectly to convey the idea of a sudden recognition. 'Lonely, that's what you are, aren't you? Late at night, when Agni has retired? You miss her terribly then, don't you, Prince Soma?'

'Shut up!' Soma got up and started to pace restlessly. As the demon watched, something greedy and skulking came into his eyes. He couldn't help it. It was in his blood, in his very core to play on another's feelings, if they let him.

You can rely on a demon to find the words that make you sad. It's his instinct and his key method of hunting.

But if you want to feel truly sorry for yourself and your own tiny, miserable life... the one thing to do is catch a demon in a weak moment and strap him to a stupid bed, until he feels really bored, and silly, and humiliated...

_I'm going to make you miserable about your lost love until you long for a friend to sit up with you and listen and allow you to cry on his shoulder,_ thought Sebastian. _We'll see about the listening and crying-on-shoulders part. But I want to sit up! Now!_

'You miss everything,' he continued. 'Your father's palace. The people who bowed to you. Even though you did not know what you know today, they honored you.'

Soma stood by the window, arms crossed, and looked out.

_'He is Prince Soma,_ they'd say. _He's a son of kings and gods._ And they worshipped you.'

Soma heaved a sigh. Almost there... Sebastian lowered his voice to a whisper, _'And more than that,_ they'd say - _he knows how to deal with people. He dealt with a convict, made him his loyal servant_ – Yes, Agni is loyal. But he is not here now, Prince Soma. No human will ever stay by another's side, always and forever.' Quiet and seductive, the demon put his black claw on the wound in Soma's core, 'You are alone now, and the darkness is pressing in, and the memories of what you have lost for good are lying in wait...'

'Okay,' said Soma, turning around. 'I guess I'd better release you, then.'

'E- excuse me?' Sebastian blinked in surprise. The carefully woven atmosphere of his charm went to pieces, as Soma moved briskly towards the bed. The prince was careful not to touch the demon, as he leaned over to fiddle with the leather straps that he had looped around Sebastian's wrists.

'Now you're really rushing things a bit...,' mumbled Sebastian, feeling just a little cheated.

The bonds didn't give way. Soma cursed under his breath. And then, suddenly, Sebastian smelled the sickly sweet odour - _there's an angel outside the door!_- just an instant before Angela came bolting in. _So that was what Soma had seen through the window!_

She looked terrible. Her dress was ragged, her hair tousled. There was a deep gash in her left eyebrow and the right eye was badly hurt, as if someone had tried to puncture the eyeball. But even the terrible wounds couldn't conceal the fury in her purple eyes. Wherever her skin showed, she had suffered gashes and sores, some of them still oozing blood. In order to fit through the door she had hidden her wings, but it was easy to guess that there were some feathers lacking, too.

She panted with her mouth half open, her breasts rising and falling rapidly. Soma stared at the voluptuous sight, then back to Sebastian on the bed, who had slipped his hands out of the makeshift bonds and was sitting up.

'Er,' said Soma, 'but...? How...?'

'Prince Soma,' Sebastian said, rubbing his wrists and keeping his eyes on the angel. 'I suggest you leave. Immediately. Use the window, since Miss Angela is blocking the door.'

As if he had waited for the permission, Soma stumbled towards the window.

'No!' yelled Angela, starting forward. She was fast, but Sebastian was faster: Angela was hit in mid-air by a pillow. Instead of pursuing Soma, who was throwing open the window, she changed direction and flung herself at the demon. Grabbing Sebastian's shoulders with both hands, she toppled him over backwards and started to bang his head violently on the cushions. They were excellent, high quality eiderdown cushions and the demon emerged unhurt, red eyes sparkling.

'What happened to you?' he asked, snickering. 'A test run of Armageddon? Oh no, don't say - golden plovers?'

Angela socked him on the jaw, and that at least made him grimace a little, eyes squeezed shut. Snarling, Angela dragged him up, and pushed, and tugged until he leaned on his elbows, facing the window: Soma was gone. A flock of chattering birds had settled on the sill.

'What do you know about these little monsters?' Angela asked, leaning over him, her voice hoarse with fury.

'They are the creatures of Hermes, who leads the souls of the dead to Hades,' said Sebastian. 'This gives them a certain connection, a sort of kinship to creatures of the Below. Demons, for instance. But this, I only know from hearsay.' He turned his mocking, red gaze to the angel. 'What I do know is that Hermes is also the messenger of the gods. And the golden plowers hate him with a vengeance. They are animals. They don't know about mythology. So they simply hate about each and every messenger of the divine. Do you, by chance, happen to feel addressed, angel? Even if I don't phrase it in Latin and no white candle is lit - you already know, you're in trouble.' A movement caught his gaze and his grin returned. 'Oops, and here's the Pan-goat again. Would you please get off and let me sit up?'

Angela let go of him and Sebastian sat up. Reaching into his suit, he produced a white feather. It turned black under his gaze. 'How clever of me to save one of the feathers you stuck in my foot on that sinking ship's mast.'

'Any time a demon gets nonchalant like that, he's about to suggest a deal,' said Angela, staring fixedly at the birds. 'I'm not striking a deal with you.'

'An angel is said to have the power to shield a demon from the Pan-goat's attack. Being a creature of eternal darkness, I guess, it fears your light,' Sebastian continued as if he hadn't heard. 'The golden plovers, on the other hand, won't touch you, if I make it clear that you're my claim.'

'What makes you so sure of that?'

'The fact that we're still talking, instead of being attacked.' Sebastian raised the black feather. It had a tiny drop of crusted blood on it and he was careful not to wipe it off. 'I can't afford to be eaten. I have business to attend to.'

Angela was white with fury. But she whispered, 'Me too...'

'Your wings to shield me, then? My claim on you to protect you? This is the deal. Do you want it, Angela?'

'I do.' She spoke the magic words with clenched fists and, no doubt, murder on her mind. And then, she made the moment perfect by repeating, 'I want this deal with you, Sebastian Michaelis.'

Sebastian's smile surpassed 'triumphant' and entered 'ecstatic'. He held out the feather to her. 'Agreed then, sealed and – ', he waved the feather a little, 'Angela? Please?'

'Signed,' she spat. She moved a little closer and extended her wings, folding them around them both. The demon was not yet satisfied, 'Angela? The blood...?'

_'AAAARRRGH!' _

'No? Too bad.' Sighing, Sebastian pulled up his feet. Then he leaned forward, arranging the white feathers over his toes.

'There's only so far you can go,' the angel informed him. 'Stop tugging like I were a blanket! _Demons!_ Restless vermin. What is it now?'

'You're not covering me entirely,' complained Sebastian, pointing at the Pan-goat that had sneaked up and stood by the bedside. It looked a little baffled. Everyone seeing the couple on the bed would have.

Angela pinched the bridge of her nose with two fingers, struggling for patience. 'Come closer,' she ordered. 'I'm not going to dislodge my wings for you.'

The birds chirped and ruffled their feathers, the Pan-goat stared. The angel and the demon were in each other's arms. It made Angela sick, the way Sebastian laughed under his breath. She knelt with her ear against his chest, and she could feel his body shake with barely suppressed hilarity.

'Impure,' she mumbled, stirring a little. The giggling stopped instantly.

'Don't even think about trying to purefy me,' Sebastian said.

'Or what?' Angela reached straight into his cinematic recordings and pulled with both hands, amethyst eyes full of venom. Sebastian winced, then lashed out for her. Angela had expected it and grabbed hold of the bed post behind her. The golden plovers soared like one bird, trying to get her, but Angela was too quick. Spinning, spreading her wings, she built up momentum and came back in a great arc, hitting Sebastian feet-first. The demon was thrown back, but when the angel pursued him, he pushed forward and slipped under her.

The plovers settled down again and the Pan-goat moved silently to the other side of the bed.

Angela and Sebastian crouched on the mattress, sizing each other up.

They launched again, colliding halfway across the mattress and two feet up. Sebastian's claws ripped bleeding wounds in Angela's protectively raised arm, and Angela's heel broke two of his ribs, as he was too slow evading the attack.

And now it was demonic instinct against an angel's cunning. Hunger clashing with zest. They lunged and dodged, they slipped and slid and somersaulted and kicked. The bed wasn't big, but kingsize with a canopy offered plenty of room for two determined supernaturals. There was a lot of vile things one could do with a pillow, and even more with a piece of whalebone torn from a corset. The bed frame shook as Sebastian hurled Angela against the bed post. The springs creaked as Angela smashed Sebastian to the mattress and threw herself on top of him.

Her fingers dug into his chest, finding his memories and pulling. Her face was flushed with excitement. She would be the first angel in a long time to purify a demon.

Reaching up, Sebastian grabbed hold of her neck and pulled her down. His mind was reeling with greed. He would be the first demon in a long time to feed on an angel...

There was an expectant ripple of movement among their audience.

Irritated by the distraction, Angela opened her eyes a little.

Reaching for an angel's soul was pure rapture. Yet, Sebastian became aware of her small hands slapping his chest and her striving away from him, making angry '_Mmmmph_'-noises in her throat. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes and released her head. She instantly turned away, and he followed her glance.

A hopeful goat and an excited flock of birds glanced back.

They both looked at each other, eyes only inches apart.

They both jammed on the brakes.

Like an embarrassed mortal girl Angela dashed for the head end of the bed. Sebastian, at the foot end, groped for the curtain pull and closed the grey cloth around them.

Suddenly, everything was very, very quiet and sober.

'That,' said Sebastian after catching his breath, 'was a close call.' He looked at the last of the cinematic records that were coiling back into his chest. 'I mean, really close.'

Angela leaned against the cushions, still feeling a little shaky from his onslaught and unwilling to admit it. 'You can't kill me,' she said coquettely and tucked a silver lock behind her ear. 'The Pan-goat will cut you in stripes.'

'As you can't kill me, either,' Sebastian pointed out, relaxing his position somewhat. 'The plovers would be on you like a bunch of harpies.'

'Hm.' Angela looked around and discovered the eyepatches that were still looped around the bed frame. She undid one and started toying with it. She curled it up, then let it go. Curled it up. Let it go.

'Let's just spend the night trying to get along,' Sebastian suggested.

'Let's not.' Slowly, so as not to scare him, Angela moved forward and slid the eyepatch over Sebastian's head.

He grimaced, 'What are you doing? Trying to blindfold me?'

'I _am_ blindfolding you.' Angela looked around searchingly. 'Relax. You're a demon. You can always play by nose, can't you?' The second eyepatch came into place.

'I guess I can. Unless you get rid of that angelic stink.'

'Stinking, yes?' Sebastian heard the splintering sound of another jagged piece of whalebone being broken from a corset. 'You'd better smell this coming, Demon Sebastian!'

He did and evaded Angela's blow as easily as if she had given him a warning instead of a threat. She missed him and crouched at the foot end. He could hear her angry breathing and the sheets rustling under her curling fingers. 'Well done, Sebastian - ' she hissed. And then she shut up, and stopped breathing – in fact, she stopped making any noise like only a supernatural could.

_That's my young master,_ Sebastian thought, feeling the thrill of the hunt return as he strained to sense his opponent in the dark before his eyes. _I asked him to send me an angel. And he did._

* * *

><p>When Ciel got off the hansom, he was met by a panicked Soma. It wasn't easy to make sense of the story that had to do with eyepatches and <em>really tight loops<em>, and women writing wonderful horror fiction, and _this woman_ being a horror herself. And being with Sebastian.

Ciel understood that someone had entered the house, and when Soma mentioned the strange woman's hair, he knew, who it was.

'Agni!' he yelled, drawing his handgun and dashing towards the bedroom. 'The angel is here! She's with Sebastian! Prepare to fight!'

'Allow me, Master Ciel!' Agni pushed past him and opened the door. He leaped forward, and stopped. Ciel and Soma entered, and stopped. The prince gasped. Ciel only swallowed drily, mind racing to understand what he saw.

A flock of birds sat on the window sill, but they didn't chatter. The Pan-goat stood at the foot end of the bed, still like a statue.

Angela and Sebastian were on the bed, fighting.

Only it didn't look like a fight at all.

They moved supernaturally fast and with incredible precision, leaping, soaring and rolling on the crumpled sheets. But they didn't hurt each other. Like two masters of martial arts they timed their kicks and blows, going for perfect movements instead of dealing damage.

'What are they doing?' whispered Soma.

'Dancing,' said Agni, awed.

'Showing off,' said Ciel, who didn't want anyone to notice that he, too, was impressed.

Since they needed each other for protection, the demon and the angel were engaged in an exhibition fight. Now, they demonstrated their skills - to such extent that the rustle of a pillow, the tiniest gasp scored as blunders in the performance. No punch was off the mark, not by half an inch; the angles were perfect, their timing excellent, and the only thing not encompassed by their outstanding body control was the swing of their hair.

Speaking of hair...

'Is that one of my eyepatches entangled in Sebastian's hair?' asked Ciel, surprised.

'Er...,' said Soma, touching his fingertips together.

Ciel gave him a sharp look, 'You'll have to tell me all about it,' he said.

'Er - look Ciel!' Soma pointed at the bed, where Angela had just evaded a high kick. She landed on the edge of the mattress, dangerously close to the birds on the sill. Sebastian grabbed her wrist and hauled her back in. She did a perfect shoulder-stand, then rolled over, rearing up and trying to kick Sebastian in the face. He slumped and countered with a low, sweeping kick. Angela jumped over his leg and escaped upwards, holding on to the canopy. Sebastian glided under the bed, planning to come up at the other side and maybe surprise her. For one moment, he couldn't see her. For one moment, her wings were nowhere near him.

The birds soared. The Pan-goat started forward.

As if drawn by strings, the angel and the demon were back on the mattress in an instant, holding on to each other. With Sebastian's head bowed against her shoulder and her hands protectively in his black hair, they looked like a painting by an old master, depicting the salvation of Evil, or an allegory of Day and Night.

And beneath the cover of her white wings...

'Leave your hands right where they are,' mumbled Sebastian. 'So I know you're not tampering with my memories again.'

'Don't raise your head,' hissed Angela. 'If your mouth comes near my soul again you won't have any teeth left to grab it.'

More snickering. 'You wouldn't dare - '

_'Mmmph! Aaargh!'_

The birds settled. The Pan-goat sat down. They continued to watch, albeit a little more disillusioned. Things were not improving for them, as their prey worked out each other's limits of acceptance.

'Master Ciel,' whispered Agni. 'What shall we do?'

'Nothing,' said Ciel. 'Looks like they're doing okay without us interfering. – I wonder what that shinigami would have to say to this,' he added quietly and with a mean grin, an idea forming.

'I hope we do not need to find out,' said Agni, turning over his shoulder as he closed the door.

* * *

><p>Agni was concerned, and some time after midnight, he decided to look after Sebastian and his strange female company. He found them in a similarly quiet way as he'd left them – only not in an embrace.<p>

Angela dangled upside down from the canopy. Her left foot was fastened to the wood with something that looked like one of Master Ciel's eyepatches. Sebastian rested against the foot end of the bed. A handful of white feathers stuck in his sleeve, pinning his wrist to the wood.

Angel and demon stared at each other, breathing heavily. There was unmistakably madness in the purple-eyed girl's sneer, while Sebastian's smile seemed ecstatic in a less deranged, but nevertheless menacing way.

They both showed no signs of tiring, even though Agni had entered at a moment of inactivity. For some reason, he felt like they had shot their bolts and were now plotting new ways to settle an age-old score. Agni wondered, if he should get involved. But somehow, he knew that there was nothing he could say or do to mediate. And he didn't want them to take notice of him.

Silently, he closed the door.

* * *

><p>Early in the morning, Agni met Ciel in the corridor.<p>

'Master Ciel? You're up early? Did you have break- ?'

'No,' said Ciel curtly and put his finger to his lips. 'It's too early for that. But I didn't want to call Sebastian before I – well, I want to see for myself... is Angela still with him?'

'The young woman was in the room when I last looked,' said Agni, uncomfortably. 'It would seem, she had actually...spent the night there.'

'Got you, Sebastian.' Ciel smiled impishly. 'It's one thing to seduce poor little nuns to gain the information your master required. But to let yourself get caught in the act...with _her_!'

He ripped open the door.

The morning light filled the room. The window was open, the birds gone. No trace of the Pan-goat. Or Angela.

His butler stood with his back to the door, spreading a white sheet on the bed. The cloth fluttered in the breeze that came in by the window. Sebastian managed to control the flow so the linnen came down smoothly. He started to tuck in the sides, his gloved hands moving with trained efficiency.

Ciel just knew that the demon had his eyes closed and smiled a solicitous, modest butler's smile.

'What have you done now?' he asked, aghast.

'I have decided to put a new linnen on this bed, young master. To this end I gathered the cushions on this chair over there and - '

'Stop babbling. I mean – with Angela?'

'With Angela? ' Sebastian turned around, looking genuinely puzzled. 'I had no order to show myself...favorable to her wishes. Therefore I certainly did nothing, young master. Neither 'with' nor 'to' her. Not in the sense that you're implying, anyway.'

'You want me to believe that you spent the night _with Angela _in your bed, and _you did nothing_?'

'It grieves me to have to repeat myself, young master. You know I don't lie. And I already told you: I did not go along with her advances.' His butler's hands moved, smoothing the linnen and plucking off a stray eiderdown. It turned out to be a black feather. Sebastian raised it, turning it between his fingers. 'I guess that's what got her so upset.'

'But – look at you! Look at that!' Lacking more convincing tell-tale evidence of last night's escapades, Ciel pointed at the unmade bed and the feather in Sebastian's hand.

'Very upset,' commented Sebastian, calmly. 'Furious enough to leave through the window, no matter the risk.'

'What became of her?' asked Ciel.

Sebastian carefully put the feather away. 'When I last saw her, she trailed a flock of golden plovers. Oh, and she gave the Pan-goat a nice kick in the, well... it left.' He snickered.

'So she did help you, after all,' said Ciel.

'She would've kicked anything and anyone. She's just not used to being turned down.'

Ciel decided to put a lid on his hopes of seeing his butler blush with embarrassment. 'So you turned her down. Was that – clever?'

'I am afraid I don't quite follow, young master?'

'The Pan-goat will be back, won't it? This is just a temporary reprieve.'

'A breathing pause that we will make use of,' said Sebastian. 'I was a little under pressure when Ash delivered his message. But it seems like we – all four of us – have an appointment at the Society.'

'At ten sharp,' said Agni. 'I should go and help Master Soma with his garments and the ceremonial body paintings.'

Ciel looked after him. 'A demon, hunted by a monster,' he complained. 'An Indian prince preparing to scare away evil spirits in Central London. I hope, Her Majesty knows what she was doing when she decided to summon all of my household to this meeting.'

As he said it, he faced the other direction, so he couldn't see the sudden emotion in his butler's expression.

'Her Majesty,' said Sebastian, 'I wonder...'

* * *

><p>+++ End of Chapter 6 +++<p> 


	7. Gondolas and Summonings

Hi, everybody. I'm sorry I kept you waiting. I was taken ill, nothing serious, but since writing usually puts me in a kind of fever I just couldn't use another, physical one messing with my imagination. Besides, it's not good for my English grammar. :)

I try to make up for it: This chapter is really long. Hope you enjoy :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian, Ciel, Ash, Angela, Soma, Agni and/or any other characters of the series. I hold no rights whatsoever to Kuroshitsuji/"Black Butler", and I do not make money out of this.

* * *

><p>+++ Chapter 7: Gondolas and Summonings - and Very Unexpected Beasts +++<p>

When Ciel and his companions reached the site of the get-together, the grounds were already swarming with people. It was a beautiful, sunny morning and temperatures were climbing quickly. A perfect day for a garden party.

Already people were strolling in the park and the menagerie, they sat on benches, they stood in small groups, laughing and talking.

'Look,' said Agni pointing to one of the long tables. 'They're serving champagne and nibbles. Do you want me to get you some, Master Soma? You, too, Master Ciel?'

Soma agreed readily. Ciel refused. Not because he didn't feel a desire for champagne and nibbles, but rather because he was so taken by surprise his butler hadn't been the first to spot the offer and ask.

_'Wait. I'm going to - '_ Sebastian glowered as Agni bustled off.

'All your own fault,' said Ciel. 'What's wrong with you?'

Sebastian winced. 'I apologize for my neglect, young master.'

'That's not what I mean. You've been lost in thought for most of our journey. What's up?'

'I feel like I was onto something,' said Sebastian. 'Concerning the Pan-goat. I'm sorry I can't keep my mind off this topic that must be a nuisance to you.'

'It is, and that's exactly the reason why I'd appreciate, if we found a way of eliminating it now and for all,' said Ciel. 'Well? What's the idea?'

'That's the problem. I don't remember,' said Sebastian, sounding genuinely frustrated. 'I've been trying to. It seems like it's something that came to me in my sleep. While you were gone, releasing the golden plovers.'

'You mean it was something you dreamed? And now you can't recall what it was?'

'I thought I would,' said Sebastian. 'I usually do. But it is gone.'

'Er,' said Soma timidly. 'Ducks?'

'Ducks?' echoed Ciel. Sebastian merely blinked, surprised.

'When you awoke,' Soma said to him. 'It was the first thing you said. That you'd dreamed about ducks and you, er, you found them enjoyable.'

'Enjoyable?' asked Sebastian, cocking his eyebrows.

Soma swallowed. 'Er, maybe that was not your exact word. De- delightful? No. _Delicious._ That's what you said. In your dream, you found them delicious.'

Ciel and Sebastian exchanged glances.

'Does that mean we should butcher and eat that monster?' asked Ciel. 'Did anyone do that before?'

'It's been tried,' said Sebastian. 'A lot of desperate ... people thought of and put to the test a lot of things to save their lives. But I heard of no-one who succeeded. If anything, the other ceremony guests had trouble getting out of the tight spot themselves afterwards' He turned his head a little and muttered, 'And besides, it tastes really terrible, even for _our_ standards.'

'I guess that's a cold scent, then,' said Ciel, accepting a glass of champagne, which Agni had brought for him despite his earlier refusal. He started strolling towards the large candle holders. 'Now, what do you make of that? That's the decoration Agni and I watched Ash set up. Do you sense anything uncommon about it?'

'There's definitely a pattern.' Sebastian looked around with interest. 'I'll have to get a closer look to say for sure.'

'Please, don't bother!' As if he'd stepped out of the broad daylight, Ash stood behind the demon. He held a glass of champagne and bowed politely. 'Earl Phantomhive, Prince Soma – welcome to this event. In the name of Her Majesty I am glad that you could come. As to your curious question, Earl Phantomhive: Of course it is an uncommon setting. It is a ritual place.'

'A summoning circle,' specified Sebastian. 'Complete with an altar for making a sacrifice.'

Before Ash or Ciel, who had turned deadly pale, could react, he walked over to the white covered table and stooped to lift a corner of the cloth. With his supernatural senses he scanned the grounds, halfway expecting the worst. But there was no trace of his true name to be found, nowhere, neither in writing, nor in symbol.

The altar cloth covered a large cage full of birds. Seeing sunlight and the demon, they started to flutter and scream. Yet even above the commotion Sebastian heard Ash's footstep coming to a halt right behind him.

'So you managed to catch the golden plovers, I take it,' he said, dropping the corner of the cloth. 'Are they meant to be the sacrifice for whatever it is you're about to invoke?'

'They sort of imposed themselves on me.' Ash smirked. His voice changed a little, as did the shape of his face and his eyes. 'Very unlike a certain demon, as I should regretfully point out,' he said with a voice that was neither eintirely male nor female.

Sebastian remained cool, 'Well, it seems these poor, doomed birds give best evidence of what's to be gained by imposing oneself on you.'

The angel took a step forward, raising its hands as if to place them on the demon's shoulders: 'This could have taken a totally different twist, Sebastian. We could have joined forces, instead of fighting each other.'

'Joined forces?' Sebastian's cold look managed to stop even the angel's suggestive approach. 'What's going on? What kind of creature do you plan to summon?'

A crazy light came into the angel's eyes. It turned its shape back into Ash. 'There will be no demonic villainy during the obscuring of the daystar this time,' he announced. 'Not while I am in London...no impure dealings, no gnawing at the sun... no - '

'Gnawing at the sun?' Sebastian stared at the angel with wide eyes. Then he shook his head. 'Say, when exactly did the world go crazy? Is it something they spread with the water here in the city?'

'No. It is a word spread in the Indian quarter.'

'_Soma,_' said Sebastian, automatically glancing to where the prince was sipping his champagne. 'He's been obsessed with this eclipse-thing since the young master and I came to London, and probably even before. You said you met him when you collected the giftwrappings for the artefacts my young master gave to the queen. What did he tell you?'

'He told me all about the evil schemes of the spawn of hell on an occasion like this,' hissed Ash. 'I used to think that the spreading of plagues was an outrage. But to destroy the source of light itself is wickedness beyond expression and endurance.'

'You actually _believe_ his story?'

'Even the trifle chance that there's truth to it legitimates every effort to prevent it!' Ash raised his sword like a medieval knight invoking the help of heaven. 'With the authority of pureness I will call the perpetrators to this place and root up their evil with fire and steel!'

'Well, good luck and good hunting,' said Sebastian, looking over his shoulder. 'If you will excuse me, I notice the boats are ready for boarding.'

Ash actually looked disappointed. 'You don't try to stop me, Sebastian?'

'Stop you?' Again, Sebastian looked at him wide-eyed, and Ash got the impression that the demon intended to say more. But then Sebastian raised his hand to his mouth and snickered. He struggled for control and snickered harder. Choked, ceased breathing and started to giggle anew. Seeing Ash frown and feel offended, he really, _really_ tried to pull himself together like a polite British high-society butler. Finally, he managed to get out, 'Stop you from summoning the spawn of hell that _gnaw at the sun_ as related by Prince Soma? Risk my life to stop you from summoning what I would give my left glove to see, if that garment didn't belong to my master like all the rest of my body and attire? _Oh, Ash! Oh, holy cow! Oh dear - '_ Suddenly, abruptly he stopped laughing. 'The gentlefolks are embarking. We'll resume this conversation later. It's very entertaining.'

Ash was left standing alone, his mind in confusion and fury in his eyes.

* * *

><p>By the time Sebastian returned to his master, everyone was getting aboard the little Venetian-looking gondolas.<p>

'Time you came back,' said Ciel, accepting his butler's helping hand to get into the swaying vessel. 'What did you find out?'

'Mister Ash is chasing ghosts,' said Sebastian. 'He'll probably succeed in catching one or two, myself being one of them. But since I am already here and forewarned, I don't worry too much. It certainly needs not concern you in any way, young master.'

'I see.' Since Soma was climbing in, Ciel was indeed more concerned about the current rocking of the boat than about his butler's forecast. 'If there's something you'd like to do about it, go ahead. Just don't alarm the entire party. You know what I mean. Keep up the appearance.'

'Thank you, young master. I shall get back to that immediately, and once more when the time has come.'

'When's that?' asked Ciel, watching Sebastian take a long step into the boat. The gondola that had lurched so wildly as Ciel seated himself and almost careened as Soma got in, didn't seem to notice at all that the tall demon had come aboard. It didn't even move as Sebastian walked to the stern.

'A good sign will probably be Mister Ash lighting the candles and starting to speak Latin,' he said. 'Mister Agni? You can hand me the sweep.'

'But that is not necessary, Mister Sebastian. I can - '

'Yes, and I know you can get champagne, too, if _my master_ wants some. Give me,' repeated Sebastian, smiling sweetly, 'the sweep.'

Silently accepting the rebuke, Agni handed him the sweep and sat down with his master. Sebastian made sure that Ciel was firmly seated. Then he pushed off and started to move the little boat towards the others. Lanterns were lit even though the day was still bright and beautiful. A combo of string musicians played a sentimental adagio. Ladies sat with their umbrellas, listening and watching the gold fish in the water. An elderly lady had brought her two lap dogs and one of the ugly cratures fell overboard. It was rescued by the gondolier of a nearby boat who was duly applauded. Two boats steered by young folk had engaged in a little sea fight, splashing and causing the other boats to rock. They were told off by the elder gentlemen and quickly served champagne to make up for the lost entertainment.

'Look,' said Soma. 'They're releasing swans.' Rapt like a little boy, he watched the majestic birds glide into the water and make their way between the floating boats. 'Agni? I want a couple of these birds in my palace in India. No. I want ten couples.'

'I will have them shipped,' said Agni dutifully.

'Which reminds me,' said Ciel, 'Sebastian? You don't happen to know what became of the slug-eating ducks that used to live on this lake?'

Sebastian stayed his sweep for the briefest moment, then he resumed moving indifferently. 'We-ell, young master, as a matter of fact...'

Ciel leaned back and closed his eyes. 'Will it alarm the party?'

'No, mylord.'

'I like the swans,' stated Soma, unaware of the silent aspects and hidden meanings of the conversation.

'Yes,' said Ciel conveniently, folding his arms behind his head. 'Me too.'

Smiling enigmatically, Sebastian steered the boat.

* * *

><p>Ten minutes to go. Ash checked his ritual site for the final time. The candles were in place. His sword was ready. The spell, he knew by heart. It was in his nature, to learn spells, even though this particular talent wasn't something you flaunted, if you were of the Forces of Good.<p>

Now, one last triumphant look at his opponents –

Ash lifted the white cloth that was draped over the golden plovers' cage. And stared.

A cageful of ducks stared back. Ducks sitting on each other. Ducks waddling over each each. Ducks pressing their beaks against the bars and countering the angels gaze.

There must be a dozen of them, and all of them looked like they wanted him to explain just how they had gotten stuffed in that small prison.

'Bu - ' said Ash. 'Gah...'

'Quack,' said a duck.

Ash's face distorted, as his fist clenched the hilt of his sword. Something caught his eyes. He drew his sword and turned it around in the sunlight. There were words on the blade, magically written with radiant blue color that could only be seen by those gifted with ultraviolet sight.

The words themselves made very constructive and vivid suggestions where best to stick that blade.

Ash turned deep red. Then he turned into his female self, the bitchiness just taking over.

'Aaaargh!' cried Angela. Meaning: _There's so far you can go. You, demon, have gone too far._

* * *

><p>Ciel didn't know what it was. At first, he'd enjoyed the gondola ride. It was calm and silent, and if he shut out Soma's complaining voice that it was hot and boring, it almost felt like soaring through the air. <em>Drifting. Sleeping... <em>

He looked at Sebastian, steering with slow moves. Sebastian returned his glance. 'Do you enjoy this, young master?'

He affirmed.

Sebastian smiled, casting down his eyes, 'Well, then, young master...'

And suddenly, Ciel Phantomhive no longer felt at ease.

He checked the water to see whether it was still bright and clear. He squinted at the sun, just to make sure it was there. Driven by a terrible feeling of foreboding, he sat up. He wondered, if he should order Sebastian to stop this hideous tacit smile that looked like the demon knew something that his master didn't. Instead, he looked around himself, taking in the scenes of life: The ladies, the gentlemen, the servants, the musicians, even the lap dogs and the swans...

And Ash.

The white clad butler had appeared on a balcony, looking at the sky. Like a medicine man about to conjure rain, he raised his arms. His voice carried, probably due to special acoustics in the place he was standing: '_Creaturae tenebrarum, viventes in umbra, voco ex altitudine, voco potestate, voco ..._ '

'He's talking Latin,' observed Ciel to himself and strung the words together: '_Creatures of darkness, who are living in shadows, with my voice, _no, wait, that's a verb – _I call you. I call you from above, I call you wielding the power, I call you..._' He stopped, his inner balance fully restored, and searched his demon's glance. 'Is this the moment where I start worrying?'

He squeezed his eyes shut, as a gust of water came down over his head and drenched him: His butler had dropped the sweep and gone overboard.

* * *

><p>Sebastian heard Ash begin his incantation and was more or less perplexed: This was not how you went. For a proper summoning you lit the candles first!<p>

Then, the summoning spell hit him full force like the blunt side of an oar to his head. Even though he had expected it to happen, he had not foreseen the brute power of Ash's calling. As his vision blurred, he counted himself lucky that he was already here. Otherwise, it would've been _one of those awakenings..._

Ash lit the candles and the flames came up with one loud _whooshing_ sound_. 'Creaturae tenebrarum, sperantes ut lucem caelestem conspiciatis, venite..._'

Sebastian tried to shake off the dizziness. _No, he didn't explicitly hope to catch sight of the heavenly light._ But he obviously rated as one of the Creatures of Darkness that Ash's spell was made to summon, and that spiteful little thing seemed to work under the assumption that every such being craved for a glimmer of brightness and succumbed to the mere idea. Well, he didn't. Not with his head buzzing like that, and the spell was so incredibly powerful when spoken by another supernatural being, and squirm and resist though he might, its tug just wouldn't let up. One teetering step backwards, and then another brought him to the rim of the boat. And then, not even aware of the decision, he simply made that last step and dived.

* * *

><p>The cold water blocked out Ash's voice, and the terrible, aimless onslaught of being summoned to a place where he already was subsided. Sebastian closed his eyes like someone relieved of a great physical pain. There was no air to catch his breath, but he stayed there nevertheless, hair and coat-tails floating, moving his hands just enough to remain under water. He was surprised when someone plunged in right beside him. Human hands reached for him and started to pull. One of them wore a white bandage. Sebastian didn't resist. Still, the rescue didn't work quite the heroic way Agni had expected. It was more difficult than he'd thought, keeping his own head above water while supporting Sebastian's weight.<p>

He was so busy and anxious, he didn't even notice that Sebastian was supporting his own weight and quite effortlessly at that.

He tried again, kicking Sebastian repeatedly in the shins as he struggled. Sebastian gave up on the attempt to get a word in. He paddled steadily, watching Agni fight and grapple and pull. Finally, the Indian's left arm slipped around Sebastian's neck.

One second later, they were both under water.

Sebastian submerged with the impression of his nemesis, the Pan-goat, standing at the edge of the lake. Of course. Ash's spell probably called in each and every supernatural creature within a radius of five miles. On coming back up to the surface, the usual stunned gasps and silly requests droned in his ears:

'Give me riches,' screamed someone.

'Grant me eternal life,' yelled another.

'Let me come with you! Show me the wonders of your world!'

'Some wonder, indeed,' growled the demon and grabbed Agni by the scruff of his neck. 'Give me a break!'

Kicking water, Sebastian held up the spluttering Agni and looked about for the nearest means of getting out of the water. The large scaly claw seemed the best of possible choices and Sebastian set out to reach it. It even moved to meet them halfway, dipping farther into the water and ladling them up. Agni grabbed hold of a huge thumb-like extremity, while Sebastian found a convenient foothold on the curved talon of a giant index finger. He peered over the edge, holding fast against the constantly blowing wind.

The ground fell away fast and the Pan-goat with it. Sebastian hadn't so felt like making a face at someone or something in a long time. Maybe it was the humans gaping and jumping off their boats and running towards the house that prevented him from sticking out his tongue now. Some of them still screamed for mercy, but most of them just screamed.

But above all, Sebastian heard his master's voice through their contract, loud and clear, as if Ciel were standing beside him: 'Oh no! I did it again!'

Among the fleeing crowds, his master's small pale face stood out. Ciel still sat in his boat, staring up with huge eyes. Yes, both of them. He had hooked his thumb under his eyepatch and raised it, as if he needed the confirmation of both eyes to believe what he saw. No-one noticed. Soma beside him was biting his own knuckles, giggling hysterically.

It was then that the out-of-placeness of huge scaly claws in Central London occurred to the demon. Slowly, Sebastian tipped back his head.

Giant, yellow, lidless eyes stared back from above. They belonged to a snake-like head the size of Ciel's town house. The head was attached to a huge snake body that towered seemingly sky-high - and seemed to end curled up in the water of the Society's artificial lake. Which had to be an illusion, since the lake wasn't deep enough to cover about a quarter of a mile of coiled snake-body. The thing had wings like a dragon and their slow beating was the cause of the steady chillly breeze against Sebastian's wet clothes and hair. The giant serpent's body swayed gracefully, and as it moved its scales glistened in all shades of green and blue like the crystal sea water off the shores of tropical islands.

Sebastian found the sight breathtakingly beautiful. It was beautiful enough to let his mouth open a bit and allow the tips of his demonic teeth to show – and then to remember that _this beast was big_.

He shut his jaw and controlled his human apprearance and swallowed drily.

Agni tugged his sleeve. 'Mister Sebastian?' he asked timidly, 'Could you maybe just tell me that I'm dreaming? Then I'll tell you the same, and next we can figure out a way to wake up...'

'This isn't a dream,' mumbled Sebastian under his breath, still standing with his head pressed back into the nape of his neck. 'This isn't something the young master could've summoned, either. Neither by chance, nor willingly, nor in any other way...'

And then the unexpected happened:

The monster spoke.

'The boy child is your master?' the serpent asked and turned its reptilian stare to Ciel.

'He's mine!' The claim was out before Sebastian even knew he was going to make it. But seeing another demon look at his master _that way_ made him forget instantly all about proportions and remember instead that he was complexly evil and selfish creature himself.

'A very good choice,' said the serpent, bobbing its head in a gesture that was obviously meant to mimick a human assertive nod.

'Um, thank you.' Sebastian stared. And then, the second unlikely thing happened: The demon adapted to the situation.

It was more or less second nature kicking in: As a demon, living where he had lived and seeing what he was used to seeing, you didn't get very far – or stay sane for very long – if you stuck to the theory that all sentient beings must necessarily walk on two feet and carry a rather small, rather round head on two shoulders. An infinitely wiser rule to live by said: Never mind the size of the muzzles - if they talked in a language known to you that was already half the battle.

'I was sort of flagged down by this ritual circle,' the serpent went on, in perfect English. 'But eventually, it was the weird combo you got here that made me curious enough to stop over.'

'Weird combo?' asked Sebastian.

'A fighter wielding the power of Kali in his right hand,' the serpent specified. 'A prince of Bengal, dressed for the ritual of the eclipse. A human boy whose name is pronounced like one of the ancient words for "sun". An angel, preparing to join the Forces of Good. And a de- '

'Devoted,' Sebastian cut in quickly, giving Agni a sidelong glance. 'I am merely a devoted butler.'

' - a devoted butler, a creature of fire, now cold and soaked to his skin.'

'That's not weird,' muttered Sebastian. 'That's just the usual gang, London division. If you think _this _weird you haven't seen the guys back at - '

'Who are you?' asked Agni. 'You're not Rahu.'

'You may call me Bakunawa,' said the serpent. 'I am one of the mythical creatures of eclipse.'

'An eclipse is nothing but the moon and the sun being in line,' said Sebastian, who couldn't resist the little meanness of sharing Ciel's down-to-earth wisdom of two days ago.

'Yes,' said Bakunawa with great patience. 'And us mythical creatures of eclipse devouring the sun.'

'Us?' asked Agni lamely.

The giant serpent flicked its tail end. People on the ground, including Ciel and Soma, got splashed. 'Well, we have several dragons from the East, a bear from North American legend, a wolf from Nordic saga...and that's just the usual gang, Northern hemisphere division.'

Sebastian and Agni stared.

'Of course, it's more like a gnawing,' Bakunawa explained. 'Due to the sun being so huge and time being to short. We hardly ever get more than seven minutes. However, seven minutes here and seven minutes there...' He bared his teeth in a hideous grin. 'Odds are we'll get the old bugger, after all.'

'But,' said Sebastian, feeling that whatever he was going to come up with next might sound a tad stupid. 'But - '

Bakunawa looked at him as if he understood what the human-shaped demon was trying to tell him, 'It's not your mythological background, I know. But you _should_ come and join us.'

'Join you?' It was possible for Sebastian to stare right into the sun without hurting his eyes, and he did so now, wondering if Ciel would give him permission... He couldn't help noticing that a bit of the shining orb was missing. The moon moving into position, no doubt. 'Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I'm earthbound. No wings.'

'I could give you a ride on my back,' suggested Bakunawa.

'No, thank you!' said Agni firmly. He put his hand on Sebastian's shoulder and tried to give him a shake. It didn't work. Sebastian was so captured by the serpent's idea he forgot to make the appearance realistic. Agni ressorted to squeezing. Automatically and without looking at him, the demon put his hand on Agni's and returned the squeeze. It hurt. Agni winced.

'Mister Sebastian,' he pleaded, 'please, come down to earth! In more than just the literal sense of the idiom!' And then, 'Mister Sebastian, you're hurting me.'

It was the right cue: Sebastian blinked. He found his hand on Agni's and removed it. His posture sagged almost imperceptibly: He'd resumed breathing and that required a certain relaxation of the pectoral muscles. Brushing off Agni's hand, he heaved a sigh.

'Mister Agni is right,' he said. 'I don't think it's a good idea for me to rise as high as the sky and beyond. It would not only be unseemly behavior for the butler that I am. Right now I'm also the chosen victim of an old nemesis of my people. It would make me fall, and to hit the ground from that height would be more than inconvenient, even for me.' He pointed over the edge of Bakunawa's claw to support his point. The Pan-goat stood at the edge of the artificial lake, walking in small circles and staring up.

'I don't see the problem,' said Bakunawa, his forked tongue showing between his teeth. 'All I see is a goat.'

Faced with the reptile's cold stare, the shaggy monster actually averted its eyes and started to shuffle its hooves.

'Behaves like an intimidated goat, too,' observed Bakunawa. 'Looking delicious.'

Sebastian started. 'Come again?'

'I said it looked yummy.'

Sebastian stared at the large demon, thinking fiercely. By way of trial he made an inviting gesture. 'Be my guest.'

Bakunawa looked again, 'Yech, no! _It's blue!_'

'That stupid forensic powder...,' began Sebastian, as something swished past. Something propelled by wings of rustling white feathers and uttering a triumphant cry of victory, '_I got you now, fiend!_'

'Angela?' All of a sudden, Sebastian felt too tired to care whether she was talking to him or the serpent or both.

_Nice sword, though._

However she had done it, the metal was blazing like a torch.

She was presently trying to stick it through Bakunawa's eye, though, and that was neither a suggestion, the now burnt-away writing on the blade had made, nor was it particularly nice. Bakunawa bent his flexible neck far to the left to dodge the attack. Angela followed relentlessly. The demon serpent started to uncoil himself and assume a fighting stance. The artificial lake surged and gushed.

Ciel and Soma helped each other on to solid ground, as their little boat was turned upside down. They ended up hiding behind a crashed table, kneeling between shattered champagne glasses and bottles.

'Mister Sebastian!' Agni grabbed Sebastian around the waist and jumped. Sebastian allowed himself to be dragged off Bakunawa's claw and saw to it that he touched ground first to secure their landing. Putting Agni safely on his feet, Sebastian's eyes already searched for their young masters.

'Oh dear, _you're drenched_!' he said sadly, when he spotted them behind the crashed table.

_'Ag- Ag- Ag- '_ stammered Soma.

_'Se- Se- '_ stuttered Ciel.

Agni hurried to comfort his prince. Sebastian stepped up to Ciel. 'Now, young master, what's the matter?' he asked, offering his hand. 'There's no cage and no sight of blood – nothing that could cause your dark fears to awaken this time.'

Ciel found his voice again. 'No cause? Have you gone friggin' blind or something?' He pointed fiercely. 'There's a giant serpent fighting a freak angel in Central London!'

'Yes, but - ' Sebastian didn't finish his sentence, no quite sure what could possibly follow the 'but'.

Soma and Agni came over, and now they huddled together: Soma clung to Ciel's neck, shaking with fear. Agni clung to Soma, feeling that nothing could come near his master as long as the prince was shielded by his servant's body. Ciel clung to anything that wasn't likely to make fun of his weakness later, but mostly he clung to his hand gun.

And Sebastian clung to his composure, trying hard not to laugh at this display of deeply rooted human herd instincts. Whether the humans in his company _– his combo_ - were aware of it or not: For all their usual fighting spirit and stamina they now looked like a litter of puppies, staring with scared eyes at the collision of demonic and angelic forces.

At first it seemed that Bakunawa intended to take on Angela's challenge and fight to the end. But the shadows of eclipse settled over the scene and the giant serpent was in a bit of a hurry. He beat his wings and rose rapidly, his body gleaming in the twilight. Angela followed, a tiny white speck.

Along with the mortals, Sebastian looked after her. Then, he produced a black feather. He regarded it from close up almost tenderly, smiling. _'My claim on you to protect you, Angela._ Too bad. You should have sealed our deal properly.' And quickly, stealthily, but with relish, he touched his tongue to the quill and the drop of his blood that still stuck to it. Then, he crumpled the feather between his fingers. His voice was very soft but sharp like a razor: _'Not my claim._ Do as you please.'

There was a loud, many-voiced chirping noise and the flutter of small wings like a flock of birds in pursuit, flying up, up, into the sky as the light continued to wane.

Very distant, the humans could hear a shrill scream. One might have thought it was the voice of the sun that was by now missing half of its orb. Agni and Ciel knew better: They had seen and heard Angela under attack before.

'Where do the golden plovers come from?' asked Agni, looking about.

'Where's Sebastian?' asked Ciel, as the first white feathers came floating down. 'I don't believe it! With everyone clinging to everyone else – did no one of you hold on to him?'

+++ End of Chapter 7 +++

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><p>AN: I knew it. I knew from the moment Ash mentioned Latin that there would come the point where I'd have to dig up my grammar book and start recollecting. I was on my knees: "Please, Ash, no! Don't do that to me!" But he just went, "Well, the spell _is_ Latin, and you learned how to do it, at least you knew once." And I sighed and got down to work: "Ooo-kay, we'll need 2nd person plural, conditional, present tense, what do you mean, "forth conjugation"? Oh, right, hold on... _I. Hate. You._"

My Mum keeps telling me I put too much effort into these fanfics. She says I'd better spent the energy on writing something entirely my own. The problem is, she's probably right. But then I keep telling her that I like the reviews.

So, even though things are obviously drawing towards the finale - please review :)


	8. Eclipse and Aftermath

Hi there. Thanks for coming back. Not much left to say at this point, only a bundle of threads to unravel. And, maybe a small confession to make: There was no eclipse in London in the late 19th century. Just in case you wondered. I tried to research till I found out otherwise. :) But the stars were not in my favour when it came to this particular detail. Well, I guess even in writing there's only so far you can go. The rest is - creativity.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian, Ciel, Ash, Angela, Soma, Agni and/or any other characters of the series. I hold no rights whatsoever to Kuroshitsuji/"Black Butler", and I do not make money out of this.

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><p>+++Chapter 8: Eclipse and Aftermath - and a Whole Bunch of Vicious, Crazy, Exotic and Not-So-Unexpected-But-Still-Unwanted-(Except-By-a-Certain-Gardener) Beasts. And Ladybirds.+++<p>

The light was fading rapidly, as Ciel, Soma and Agni tried to decide on the most reasonable course of action. A strange silence and even stranger illumination settled over the surroundings.

'Let's find some light,' said Ciel. They started to crawl around, groping for candles. Agni was the first to find a small, three-armed candle-holder among the debris of shards, broken chairs and cutlery. He handed it to Ciel just before the darkness was complete. From the hidden pockets of his attire he produced a match box.

'A good butler is always prepared to get a fire started,' said Soma, approving.

_You'll never know how much I agree,_ thought Ciel, accepting the tools. _Or what kind of fires I watched _my_ butler start with a mere gesture of his hand._

As it was, the three of them couldn't get one single candle to burn.

Agni used up one match after the other. He lighted two and three at one time and touched them to the wicks until he singed his fingers. But the spark just wouldn't jump over and ignite the candle.

'This isn't natural,' he said, the last match gone. 'No-one is able to get a light going. Listen to the gentlefolk shouting.'

They listened, and they heard voices from inside the Society's building. Scared voices, screaming for the servants to make some light. _Any light!_ There had to be some lantern or a lamp or a _damned torchlight_ that could be made to give off a glimmer!

Not one window of the large builing was lit. And now, some kind of mad laughter carried in the wind.

'So, the world has fallen to darkness.' Soma shivered. 'Despite all our efforts.'

_'Creatures of darkness, hoping to someday set eyes on the light of heaven,_' quoted Ciel, remembering Ash's summoning spell. 'Well, looks like on that day and at this hour they prefer hiding in shadows.'

But the call for a torchlight had given him an idea. He searched his pocket and found the device he'd used for making the forensic powder visible. He worked the switch and moved the torchlight around. Of course it didn't illuminate anything, not in a fashion that he or his companions' human eyes could use. Ciel sighed, wondering what he'd hoped to achieve.

Then, suddenly, he actually _saw_ something. He squinted, thinking that he was fooled by some reflection or afterimage on his retina. But Soma's soft gasp told him that the prince had noticed, too: There was a blue shimmer. A faint, but unmistakable track, leading past them and toward the menagerie.

The only thing soiled with the blue powder was the Pan-goat. Ciel had heard Bakunawa comment on that. So, the monster had dashed off, towards the worldly beasts' cages. And that could only mean that Sebastian had gone in that direction, too...

'Let's go!' Exited, Ciel got to his feet. 'Put your hand on my shoulder, Soma. We mustn't get separated.'

'Is that really necessary?' asked Soma. 'I mean, it's dark for about - what? Seven minutes? Let's stay here where it's safe. I don't like the laughter of that guy. Who-ever he is.' But he already put his hand on Ciel's shoulder and started to stumble after him. Agni brought up the rear, holding on to his master.

Ciel had nothing to navigate by except the blue tracks in front of his eyes. He put out his hand, hoping that the Pan-goat hadn't crashed right through a bush that would be painful to run into. Soon, he began to think about the surrounding sounds. Ciel knew from his first visit that this area was inhabited by lots of animals: the Society's collection of exotic birds, mammals and reptiles.

Yet, the only thing to be heard were the agitated voices of birds in some distance ahead. The crazy, shrill laughter had stopped for some time, but now it set in again. And there was another irregular sound that was hard to define, however easy to follow. Ciel clenched his teeth and kept his eyes on the blue tracks. He turned a corner and stopped.

There were_ things_ moving just a few steps in front of him. Blue specks and forms, dancing in the darkness. Some were tiny like midgets, others were big enough for the onlookers to divine larger bodies that were hidden by the darkness. A large blue hulk lay on the ground. Around it clustered a lot of action, blue things moving up and down and to and fro. The better part of the movement concentrated about two steps to the right. And while the irregular sounds now had a clear source in the cracking and breaking of bones, chewed on by large animals, there were also voices. The air was full of their soundless whispering and giggling in strange tongues that bore no resemblance to English, or French or any other language that Ciel had ever encountered.

Then, a well-known voice made itself heard right beside his ear: 'Are these lions?' Soma's hand squeezed Ciel's shoulder almost painfully.

'No. They're black panthers. I remember standing in front of their cage.' _And reminding Sebastian to keep up the human appearance. Well, that has become something of a farce by now. _

'How many of them are there?' asked Agni.

'That day, I counted two,' said Ciel truthfully. He didn't want to comment on the obvious: Even if one assumed that Sebastian was somewhere nearby and smeared with blue powder, there were still too many things moving in the cage.

Fascinated, Ciel watched the dance of the gleaming specks, while blocking out the terrible noises of the panthers feeding. Was the central hulk the Pan-goat? It would have to be very dead to lie so still. Was that a panther's muzzle, tearing a bit off the prey? What were the other shapes? The voices?

Ciel thought he heard Sebastian among them, but he couldn't be sure. They chattered and whispered and laughed softly like old friends meeting at a birthday party. More blue was spread as Ciel watched. The blue blotches moved as if there were a whole tangle of demons feeling each other's faces and caressing each other's hair. Smearing each other with the iridescent colour, inevitably and, in some cases, wantonly and laughing at the mess. And then, Sebastian's voice said clearly, 'Young master? Your torchlight is causing irritation.'

'Er. Sorry.' Automatically, Ciel switched the tool off. No longer staring so intently at the strange scene, he realized that he could make out silhouettes again. The eclipse was ending, the moon had moved on. A blindlingly bright sickle of light showed at the rim of the sun and continued to grow.

They were definitely at the black panthers' cage. And there were definitely _things_ in the cage along with the beasts. Small things, large things, human sized things that took their leave and floated and dissolved in the unnatural dusk. Ciel understood: There had been caresses, but only one demon received them, as a way of accepting the thanks of his people. They all had known and feared the Pan-goat. But the one currently called 'Sebastian' had had an idea which rid them of the age-old threat. Even the most malevolent creatures and spirits could afford to show a little gratefulness to such a hero, and they had gathered and expressed it.

Well, the last one's good-bye could also be mistaken for a slap. But the light was reflected by shining teeth on either side, so whatever the feeling, it was probably mutual. This demon whispered something that seemed to be a modern human language. But its voice was too low to carry, and Sebastian's reply was even softer. Then, daylight was sufficiently restored to perceive colours and details. And there stood Sebastian, alone, smiling with just that tinge of barely controlled ferocity that he reserved for those occasions when he was standing on top of a heap of beaten opponents.

He was standing on the sad remnants of his one opponent now.

His shirt was soaked with blood. His face was smeared red. He didn't wear his gloves, and his hands could do with a lot of water and soap. He'd obviously used his nails to bring down the prey. It was the Pan-goat, and there was not much left of it. It seemed to have exploded all over the inside of the cage, before getting its remains eaten by the big cats. Ciel could imagine what had come to pass and how the scene must've looked like.

He chose to repress the picture. It was better for his mental stability.

'Good,' he said, nodding approvingly. 'I see you're done.'

Soma made a choking noise. He turned away, then his eyes grew big.

'Ciel, look!' He pointed: Ash perched high up on a branch of a nearby tree. The butler's white suit looked soiled and torn. The mad laughter that Ciel had accredited to the gathering of demons was his. He still laughed and laughed like he were suffering from a nervous breakdown. He was beleagured by golden plovers that hopped in the tree limbs around him, fluttering and chirping. Ash waved his sword at them, moving rather randomly but sometimes almost managing to hit a bird.

'Has he lost his mind?' asked Ciel, flabbergasted.

'Rather his battle, I'd wager. Summoning a demon of Bakunawa's size and power, Ash bit off more than he could chew. He's been up there since, oh, about four minutes into the eclipse,' said Sebastian.

'But why Ash?' asked Ciel. 'Did Angela - oh, it doesn't matter. He's her majesty's butler. We can't leave him up there. Soma, Agni. Get him down. Sebastian, you seem to have some kind of command over these birds - '

'I won't ask for protection!' screamed Ash, swatting at the birds. 'Neither will I make a deal with you!'

'You don't have to make a deal with me,' said Soma, astounded. 'Just climb down to that branch over there. You see it? However you got up there, Agni can't follow you.'

Protected by the prince's voice, Sebastian mumbled a few words. The golden plovers soared.

'I didn't ask you to do that,' howled Ash, thrashing about. 'Demon!'

'Devoted,' corrected Sebastian calmly. 'I am merely a devoted butler.' He obviously regretted having to leave the black panthers. But he climbed out of the cage. The bars were deformed and broken, answering to the question how the demon had entered in the first place. He saw Ciel's face and read his master's mind: 'I'm sorry about the damage. I was in a hurry and had to make sure the Pan-goat dashed in after me without taking the time to stop and sense the danger. Do you want me to repair the damage, young master?'

'Of course I do,' said Ciel. 'Keep up the appearance as long as possible. However... ' He looked at the bloody mess in the cage. 'Sebastian, what happened?'

'The idea occurred to me in my sleep,' said Sebastian. 'But it was Bakunawa who helped me grasp it. It seems that every creature has some kind of natural enemy. The fear of being killed and eaten is deeply ingrained, and it has a lot to do with appearances.'

'Small birds are scared of anything that reminds them of a predator bird, yes,' said Ciel. 'That's why Finny keeps plastering the windows with silhouettes of crows and buzzards.'

Sebastian nodded. 'Of course you might object that the Pan-goat was not really a goat. But I came to think: What if, by adopting a certain form, we also agree to inherit this particular form's primal fears? What if the Pan-goat was intimidated by a goat's natural enemy like, for instance, black panthers? What if, seeing nothing but an intimidated goat, the panthers would treat it like one? Would it perhaps act accordingly, put up a fight and eventually ... surrender?'

'I don't know. Is that some kind of aesthetics?'

'You could probably interpret it as a very crude form of compliance. Compliance to the adopted role. Our aesthetics, in their higher forms, are based on that principle.'

'Well, whatever it is. Looks like it worked,' said Ciel. 'Are you sure it'll stay dead?'

'Even if it doesn't, I'm sure it won't return to this neighbourhood. This prey has proven way too trying to bring down. A giant serpent. An angel. Black panthers. And a whole bunch of hostile demons, thanks to Ash's spell. It was a side effect he didn't calculate.' Sebastian snickered into his left fist. 'He intended to summon the creatures of eclipse in order to fight them. Instead, he razed those parts of the other side that are bordering on this particular site in the here and now. The demons he forced to come over were enraged, I tell you! If the golden plovers hadn't gotten him, they would. I probably saved his life by giving them something more interesting to do: Helping me kill an old enemy.'

'How many demons were there?'

'The chief work was done by the black panthers, really,' said Sebastian evasively. 'We only scattered the ashes, so to say.'

_'Splattered._ Yes,' murmured Ciel.

Soma and Agni were still trying to persuade Ash to come down. Ciel started to walk away. 'There's a flaw in your logic,' he said. 'If primal fears come with appearance, then wouldn't you be afraid of one or two things? Darkness. Heights. Confined spaces. Snakes, spiders, frogs in your bed? Anything that gives the avarage human the creeps?'

Sebastian smiled, and Ciel was happy to notice that the savage streak had almost worn off. 'I've spent enough time in this form to know that I can ignore these things,' his butler explained. 'The prerogative of long-term experience is something I have over even the oldest and wisest of your species. All the things you mentioned are but symptoms of the one thing that moves us all, demons and humans alike.'

'And that is?'

'We try to anticipate - and think we might know - the mask of death at our final moment.' Sebastian's eyes darted over to the ragged bundle of fur. 'And we don't want to die.'

Ciel stared at him for some seconds, his intact eye wide and almost child-like. There seemed to be a lot of thoughts teeming on his mind. His butler waited whether he'd choose to share them.

Finally, Ciel lowered his head. 'Right. We don't,' he grumbled, and walked on.

His butler followed. There was an unreadable expression on his face, a mixture of doubt, amazement and even disdain.

But mostly, Sebastian looked at his master's back with sympathy and compassion.

* * *

><p>It was a busy day at Phantomhive Manor, and Finnian the gardener had basically taken over the household. He was everywhere. Seeing everything. Giving orders, divining problems and setting things right before they even started to turn out difficult. He was inexhaustible. Committed.<p>

Happy.

'Put the macaques over there,' he told Mey-Rin, who was awkwardly carrying a rather large cage. 'No. Not beside the mongooses. They're loud enough as it is. _Bard?_ Bard, the door of the water buffalo fold is not properly closed. I don't see them trying to get out, but you'd better bolt it anyway.'

'If this Indian prince wants to give away a zoo, why do we have to put up with them critters?' growled Bard, his mouth full of nails instead of the usual cigarette. He was trying to secure the makeshift fold that kept five water buffalos, with a sixth still waiting in its transport box.

Finny gave him a stern look. 'Because their new home in London is still under construction and there's not enough room to keep them at the town house.' He looked up and waved his hands wildly. 'Bard, did you place the muntjacs next to the clouded leopards? Can't you see they're getting nervous?'

'The clouded leopards or the muntjacs?'

'The leopards are predators, Bard!' Finny was already entering the muntjac cage in order to soothe the agitated animals.

'Yes,' said Bard, 'but right now they have other problems than thinking about their next meal.'

Finny beamed, 'Have you ever seen Sebastian so happy before?'

Bard got up and wiped his brow, looking over at the leopard's cage. 'I don't think, "happy" is the right word,' he said. 'I've seen people in opium dens who were more aware of their surroundings than he's been since those beasts were unloaded.'

'He just loves cats, Bard,' said Finny.

'Loves them? Good gracious. They've been trying to bite him. Got too tired to keep it up, though.' Bard stepped up to the cage. The four clouded leopards gave him desperate looks. Sebastian sat on one of them, pinning two of them to the spot with his legs and left arm. With his right hand he ruffled the furry head of the fourth beast, whispering affectionate comments on how soft the ears felt.

'Sebastian?' said Bard sternly. 'Come on, get up. You've been in there for more than three hours! You can't just leave all the work to us!'

'You mean, you're not done yet? What have you been doing all morning?' mumbled Sebastian, rubbing his face against the cat's neck. 'Mmmmh, soft...'

Bard blushed. 'Okay,' he growled. 'That does it. Finny, get me a bucket of ice water. That guy needs to wake up, and I'm going in.'

'Now, you're overreacting,' mumbled Finny. 'I understand him. Really, I do. They are cute.'

'C- cute. Sure.' Bard retreated hastily, when the first beast bared its teeth at him. They had given up trying to hurt Sebastian. But it didn't mean they allowed anyone to come close. Especially when there was the danger of letting in another weirdo that was too indolent to be scared off and too strong to be ignored.

Sebastian turned over on his back, lifting the big cat over his head as if it was a common kitty. Its hind paws stood on his hips, fraying the fabric of the suit. But it couldn't hurt the skin beneath. So it just closed its eyes and suffered being bobbed up and down like a doll.

Suddenly, the bobbing stopped. Sebastian cocked his head, listening. The clouded leopard felt that it was being released. It gathered the remnants of its dignity and gracefully retreated in the corner of the cage. Its three companions followed.

There it was again – Ciel's voice: 'Sebastian?'

'Over here, young master.' Sighing, Sebastian got up and straightened his tie. He frowned at the damaged suit and mended it with a swift movement of his hand.

Ciel reached the cage. He looked angry, and seeing Sebastian locked in with the felines didn't exactly lift his spirits: 'Sebastian. There's a pond gaping in my garden. What do you know about it?'

'I made it, young master.' Sebastian was still feeling the big cat's fur against his cheek and couldn't stop smiling. He made an effort to focus on his master's issues.

'And I nearly fell into it,' fumed Ciel. 'Why'd you make it? I didn't order you to.'

'The ducks needed it, young master. Since _you_ decided to buy them we are responsible for offering them an environment that is appropriate to their species.'

'The ducks. _The ducks needed it._' Ciel took a deep breath. 'Just my next point. I bought a pair of ducks, on a whim. Now there's about three dozen of them waddling on my lawn.' He pointed with a sweeping, all-encompassing movement of his hand. 'The garden is alive with slug-eating ducks! Just how many slugs, do you think, are there? _How many ducks do we need to get the infestation under control?_'

'You won't find but one of these vermin in a well-kept English garden,' said Sebastian. 'The ducks will help us to maintain the excellent state of your property, young master.' He countered Ciel's gaze with an air of innocent zeal. He even managed to keep the mockery at a tolerable level.

Ciel's angry breathing turned into a sigh. There was no point in fighting with his butler when Sebastian carried _that expression_ into battle. 'So you got past your dislike of ducks and decided to buy them all, is that it?' he said. 'What about flooding the entire shire with slugs next eclipse?'

Sebastian shrugged. 'There are other plagues,' he said off-handedly.

'Please, young master, let me keep the ducks,' said Finny. 'I think they are cute.'

'As are the mongooses,' said Bard, exasperated. 'And the water buffalos. The elephant. Oh, and don't forget the rhino. I still don't know where to put it, once it's out of its box. Which can't be long, judging by the noises it makes in there.'

'The muntjacs,' said Finny. 'They're escaping. _Waaargh!_ I left the cage open!'

Ciel merely looked at the stampeding animals. Then, very calmly, he turned and started to walk back to the house. He heard Bard shout orders and Finny beg not to hurt the beasts. He didn't have to look to know that Sebastian had already caught three or four muntjacs by the time his fellow servants had made up their minds on how to approach the problem.

Watching Sebastian, Finny caught on to the idea of picking an animal, tackling it and pulling it down. Since Finny was afraid of breaking the animal's necks with his superhuman strength, he started to chase them so that Sebastian could get them one by one. Then, they moved the cage away from the disturbing sight of the clouded leopards.

'That should do it,' said Sebastian, brushing off his gloves. 'The muntjacs are safe, and the leopards...'

'Don't go in there again,' said Finny, interpreting the butler's longing glance. 'I think the young master would get mad at you.'

Sebastian nodded. But he wasn't convinced. Finny, too, didn't feel like leaving the wonderful menagerie. He thought it a sad thing that all these animals were delivered only to be shipped on to London. To pay for some old artefacts that the young master had bought at an auction and given to the queen. Finny would have given all old and dusty artefacts of the world just to keep the muntjacs. Or the elephant...

He sat on the ground in order to watch the animals all around. Sebastian sat down beside him in order to watch the leopards from the distance. Finny was not surprised by the breach of protocol. He'd witnessed Sebastian doing it before, on rare occasions. Sometimes, he'd come into the garden just to look at the flowers. Sometimes, he lay on the lawn, alone in the dark, to watch the stars. After the first timid encounters, Finny knew that he could draw near and sit beside him if he didn't talk. The gardener understood: There was no need to talk, if you were pondering the beauty of the milky way. Sebastian would eventually break the silence, acknowledging Finny's presence by saying something like 'It's cold. You must be freezing' or 'Look!', pointing at a shooting star.

And then, Finny knew that Sebastian was ready to listen, and he'd tell him all the things that he wanted to share. Things that no-one but, sometimes, Mey-Rin were interested in: The new rose bush had taken root, it would be in bud soon. The thrush had made a nest in the willow tree. Finny wasn't sure, but he thought there were already three hatchlings. And did Sebastian know that it was wonderful, sitting in the open with nothing but an entire sky stretching into infinity above?

Sebastian would reply that there were actually four hatchlings. And, yes, he knew. About the rose buds.

And the sky.

He hadn't given the signal for starting the conversation yet. But Finny was afraid that Bard might come back and then his chance for asking the question that was bubblíng inside him would be lost: 'Sebastian? Can I ask you something?'

'Hm?'

'Why did you really bring the ducks here?'

'You heard me tell the young master. I've grown fond of them.'

'Yes, but people normally have reasons to change their minds.'

'That was not your question.'

It didn't sound like an invitation to rephrase, so Finny decided to drop the subject. There was a ladybird beetle on the gardener's finger, and he watched it crawl as he said, 'We do have slugs. You know I can't kill them. I - I can't kill anything that's alive. Except, of course, when it just happens, because I wasn't careful enough. But there aren't many. And, and – the young master is sort of right. That's really a lot of ducks on that pond, you know.'

'They won't stay,' said Sebastian. 'When there are no more slugs to feed on they'll leave. Or some kind of duck-eating predator will move in.' He leaned forward to pick up a withered daisy. 'That's the way of nature, I guess. Every creature has some other creature that will habitually feed on it...'

'Humans don't,' said Finny.

'Oh, they do,' said Sebastian softly and with a strange air of conviction. 'Just as you're sitting there, next to me, your mortal enemy might be very close. But, who knows? If you're lucky...'

'Then what?' asked Finny who had begun to look around nervously.

'If you're lucky, you'll never find out,' said Sebastian, smiling brightly.

Finny hesitated, then returned the smile. 'You almost got me there,' he said. 'Okay. Maybe there are things that would eat me. But I hope I taste as terrible as this little fellow here.'

'A ladybird beetle?'

'They have many natural enemies,' said Finny. 'Birds. Frogs. Other insects. But their bright colour is a warning. They taste bitter and foul. No tit or thrush will eat another ladybird after tasting the first. So I guess one could say that, on the whole, the world is a pretty safe place for them to live in.'

Sebastian put out his hand. Finny urged the insect on to the demon's palm.

Sebastian watched the little red speck. It seemed to look around, checking the new surroundings. Then it started to crawl. Sebastian spread his fingers and the ladybird chose to make its way up his forefinger. There was something endearing about so small a creature showing such great determination.

'Finny,' Sebastian said, 'do you know how they procreate?'

'Ladybird beetles? Well, that's easy. They feed on aphids. The more aphids, the more ladybirds.'

'Are you telling me we have aphids in our well-kept English garden?'

'I...' Finny swallowed.

'Think carefully. Because if we don't, this little fellow is doomed to die of hunger.'

'Oh!' Finny stood up. 'I'll see what I can find!' He darted off.

'Find aphids,' Sebastian called after him. 'Locate all the aphid resources at my – _at our disposal_.'

He gazed at the little insect. It had reached the tip of his finger. He prodded it with the withered daisy. It stopped and re-directed. Sebastian turned his hand, so it started marching down the inside, back to where it had started from.

Sebastian looked about. There was no-one around, and the caged animals didn't care about elegance and seemliness. With one fluent movement, the demon stretched himself out full-length and turned over to lie on his stomach. _An earth-bound creature shouldn't object to making contact with the naked soil every now and then,_ he thought, propping himself up on his elbows. Moving his feet playfully in the air like a human schoolboy on a sunny day off, he watched the ladybird from close up. The red wing covers. The black spots. The tiny antennae that probed the way so eagerly.

So easy to breed, and no natural enemies. None that would eat a significant amount after tasting their first beetle, at any rate.

_Imagine the sun getting dark. Day turning into night for about seven minutes._

_And when light returns..._

_The entire countryside crawling with red wing covers and black spots. Ankle-deep. Knee-deep._

The demon turned his hand so the unswerving little insect started to march back towards the fingertip. His eyes had begun to gleam.

'_Ladybirrrrds_,' he said dreamily. The ladybird unfolded tiny wings and took off. The demon watched it soar, smiling a smile of barely controlled ferocity as he turned his plan over in his mind.

There was a crashing noise and the trampling of four heavy feet.

'ARRRGH!' screamed Bard's voice from somewhere behind the water buffalos. _'It escaped! On the trees, everyone!'_

Sebastian lowered his head until his nose touched the ground. He exhaled deeply, thinking that it was only a rhino. Only an angry, aggressive, hopping mad, mortal rhino on the run in his master's flower beds. _Not exactly a ladybird. But no comparison to a crazy angel or a hungry Pan-goat, either. _He hadn't really expected them to handle a trifle like that on their own? Or had he?

Bard sounded panicky: 'No, no, Finny, don't tackle it like that, that's not a muntjac!'

Finny's voice was full of tears: 'But you made it run that way and the new rose bush, it's budding - and there's the thrush's nest - !'

And then, uni-sono, in panic and tears: _'SEBASTIAAAN!'_

_There was only so far you could go. But of course, sometimes a pair of wings and the ability to fly off into space would come in handy..._

Yet, here he was. A devoted, earth-bound butler with a weird combo of servants and a job to do.

Obligated by contract to do it, to keep up the appearance.

Wanting to save the rose bush. And the thrush.

And Finny.

'COMING!' he shouted.

+++ The End+++

* * *

><p>AN: Well, another story finished. It always leaves me a little sad and blue. You know what I mean? Please, comfort me by sending reviews. :) Thank you for reading, for your reviews and "story alert"/"favorite story" - settings. So long, hope to meet you again next time!


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